Go Where The Papayas Are 9.15.10

With the papaya being special enough to have a month of its very own, I say it deserves it's moment by having an all-tropical blog entry in honor of it. Right about now, with summer coming to an end and cooler weather right around the corner, travelers are longing to stretch the bathing suit season just a little more. While this isn't always possible to do where we live, it's always possible to travel somewhere on the globe where the sun is shining, the beaches inviting and breezes don't require you to put on a jacket.

• Please join me on Facebook to get more updated deals and tips every day.
• We are doing a giveaway for the first 500 fans who sign up on our page and the people they were referred by (if applicable-both must be fans of the page), so join us and suggest all your friends to join. 2 lucky people will win items from Travelon and 2 others (potentially) will win referral gifts.
• Follow me on Twitter for more great tips and deals.
• Subscribe to my blog on the right or on Kindle, so you can take me wherever you go!

Useful article of the day: Don't be the Ugly American. Frommer's tells you the 5 Ways Travelers Have Lost Their Manners.

Sure, you can get Hawaiian papayas shipped straight to your front door by companies like Hawaiian Kine Stuff, but wouldn't you rather just go to Hawaii and get them straight from the source? I mean, while you're eating one beach-side, you can also sip on a tropical drink and work on your tan. It's totally not as fun opening the box and figuring out how you'll eat 8-10 of them before they go bad, although, it's a viable alternative if you have $79 and not the hundreds it will cost to fly and stay there. 

• If you DO have more than $80 to your name, you can spend your papaya money on several nights in a top-rated hotel in Hawaii. DealBase has great rates starting at $69 per night. The stay-by dates vary from end of September to end of December, but all the rates are fantastic and are for hotels scattered throughout the islands.

• Did you know that papayas promote male virility? It's true! That's great if you're looking to share some with your sweetie on a romantic getaway. Right now, you can also get amazing rates on hotels in the Caribbean. Destinations like Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and Aruba for as little as $68 per night. Stay-by dates vary,but these rates won't last for long either.

Imagine enjoying private beaches in both Bora Bora and Montu Mahana, well you can just that with this luxurious 9-day in Tahitian cruise that travels the islands. For $3,035 per person, you get RT airfare from LAX, all meals, beverages, on-board gratuities and 24-hour room service. The ship is intimate and offers 3 restaurants, a newly refurbished gym, spa and more. Departure dates are Dec 18 or 27. Book by Sept 20. You save 40% off the regular price and even more if you elect to stay in a higher level of cabin. 

One of the biggest obstacles in going somewhere new is figuring out how to get from your hotel to other places and then back again. Well, most cities have excellent public transportation which is both convenient and inexpensive. Check out Lonely Planet for your destination to find out transportation options and pricing. Maybe you'll take a jitney or a bus or the subway around town. Their tour guides are some of the best I've found. You may also want to invest in a Pop-out Map. These great little guides have useful information and small, but significant maps for the most visited areas in the city.

Papayas are awesome for digestive issues, so even if you ate everything at the buffet, bring some papaya enzyme tablets with you and pop 3 or 4 and you won't feel like you're dying. Aside from being amazingly useful in preventing heartburn and ouchy tummy they also taste good. We keep a bottle on hand at home at all times. You can pick them up at any health food or vitamin store, like GNC.

• Another good tip, but does NOT involve papaya, is to bring charcoal tablets with you when going to a country where the water or food quality may be questionable. Take them before you eat and they are known to attract any bacteria or other toxins and act as a filter. People swear by them and claim they have never gotten sick from foreign food or water because of taking them before eating.

• How does papaya wine sound? Well, if you like papayas and you like wine, it probably sounds pretty good. Where can you find such a thing? Australia, of course. There are many deals going on for travel Down Under, including this great 11-day Royal Caribbean Cruise of Australia and New Zealand. Starting and ending in Sydney, there are rates of only $898pp for the October 16th sailing. Only 4 days at sea and many sightseeing opportunities. Maybe find some papaya wine that you can bring back home with you and feel like you've extended your vacation.

Wherever you go on vacation, you're probably not going to get there and have nothing planned or just wander the streets and then come back to your hotel and sit and stare at the walls or watch TV. If you do, I'm sad for you. Even if you're on a budget, you can still do more than visit public parks and free museums.

• National Geographic has a feature called "Free City" that gives you a list of all the free and nearly free things to do in your destination city.

• Another great site, which you may have seen me mention before, either on Facebook or my regular website, or seen an ad for on this blog site, is Groupon. Now, it's not just for the U.S. and Canada like it used to be. Nope! Groupon has expanded worldwide and now has daily deal listings for cities in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and UK. Sign up for emails of the daily deals in your destination city to catch anything cool that you might want to do, see or eat at a fraction of the price. Getting a discounted massage or mani/pedi on vacation is never a bad thing either.

There are many multi-purpose things that I have for both home and travel. Sometimes, you find something that works and it's so good that you get another one as a back-up that might also live in your travel bag. I've told you of a couple already, including the Belkin Mini-Surge Protector. This one, while not necessarily something you can't do without, is a wonderful thing to have if you find you absolutely need it: Earplugs. You never know what sort of annoying thing will happen that will make you SO happy to have these with you, whether at a hotel or on the airplane. Maybe you have noisy neighbors or there is unexpected street construction or a screaming baby two rows away. They can be a lifesaver. If you're like me and are cranky if you don't get enough sleep, spend a few bucks on a pack and keep them in your toiletry bag for emergencies. I am partial to Hearos (below), because they are squishy and conform to the shape of your ears. They also don't fall out after being asleep for 10 minutes or rolling over. While they won't totally eliminate all sounds, they will seriously muffle it.

• Since you'll be heading to somewhere sunny, you'll probably be investing in sunscreen. Isn't a bother to remember to reapply? I tend to forget and then look like a lobster. Sexy! These bracelets are fantastic for helping you remember. You put one one, apply your sunscreen on your body and on the bracelet, the bracelet will turn colors when it is activated by the sun and then again when it is time for you to reapply or get out of the sun. Easy!

• 5 days/4 nights at the 4-Star Menzies Sydney in Australia, including airfare from $1,369 per person. The Menzies is near Pitt Street Mall, Sydney Aquarium & the Sydney Opera House. Everything you could possibly want on-site, including 2 restaurants, 2 cafes, 4 bars, indoor pool, gym, newsstand and  spa. Save 25% off hotels rates when you stay 4+ nights. Sample rate is for departures from LAX. Travel by June 30th.

• Make summer last longer with a visit to the Dominican Republic. Stay at the all-inclusive Viva Wyndham Domincus Palace Resort for only $55pp/pn. The resort has 5 restaurants, 3 bars, a disco, a spa, a tour desk, kids' club and more. All meals are included: Buffet breakfast and lunch. Dinner can be buffet style or you may make reservations to eat in one of the formal restaurants. Also included: all snacks, beverages, entertainment and activities. Travel good through December 16.
  
  
  
  
  

We're All Winners Here 9.11.10

Getting a book published is hard :) I'm working my way through agents to find the right one who thinks my budget travel book is awesome and will sell a million copies! Wish me luck. (If you have any suggestions, please let me know.) In the meantime, you get my advice for free. Don't forget that my blog is also available on Kindle Blogs, so you can get updated instantly wherever you take your Kindle. If you don't have one, get one here: Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite, 3G Works Globally - Latest Generation

Don't forget that you can win this cool toiletry bag that packs flat from Travelon as well as another generously donated item of theirs called the Stow-Away Backpack/Tote Bag (see previous post) by becoming a fan of my Facebook page (click "like" at the top). The first 500 members will have their names put in a drawing and 2 lucky members will win one of these two great travel items! The faster we reach our goal, the faster we can have our drawing, so make sure to also suggest my page to all your Facebook friends as well. It's a win-win. As in, even if they don't win a prize, they still get killer travel tips and deals. Don't leave either, because we will continue to do more promotional giveaways when we reach higher goals. You don't want to miss out!

All the airlines are wildly competing for your business now. It's not the holidays and it's not summer, so they need all the help they can get. You can't open a travel website without seeing  a giant flashing "SALE" sign. This gives you the upper-hand in finding the best deals, because you don't have to jump on the first fare that looks doable that you see. 


Make even more use of these great rates by joining frequent-flyer programs. Eventually, after enough flights, you'll be eligible for a free one. Usually this is only at 25,000 miles. It sounds like a lot, but if you fly once or twice a year, those miles can add up quickly. Sign up your traveling companion with the same programs and you could get TWO free flights. That totally cuts the cost of your trip and gives you a bigger budget to work with for the rest of you vacation, like accommodations, food and activities.

• Fly from $59 each way on American Airlines through January 26th if you purchase by September 16th.
• Fly from $49 each way on Southwest Airlines September 28-December 14 if you purchase by September 13th.

Just like with airlines, you can get the equivalent of the frequent flyer membership for hotels. They are usually called loyalty clubs. It's free membership and each time you stay, you get points toward a future stay, upgrades or freebies. One of the easiest way to gain a bunch of points is by signing up for a credit card or debit card that allows you to rack up points for each purchase. Even better, you usually earn double rewards for each stay you make that you pay for on that same card. 

• Hyatt and Chase have teamed up to finally bring Hyatt their own credit card. It has no blackout dates for redemption, plus, on top of getting 1 point for each $1 spent on the card you also get 3 points for each $1 spent at a Hyatt property. It DOES have an annual fee of $75. Most of these cards do, but you must decide if you will get a reward worth more than the fees. Right off the bat, you get 2 free hotel nights, there are no limits on the amount of points you can earn on it and if you use it out of the U.S., there is no foreign transaction fees.

Although plenty of cruise deals are to be had all over the Net, look for extra discounts, freebies and incentives. Onboard ship credits are always good incentives as is money off for booking way early and last minute. Free airfare could be a great deal, but make sure you read the fine print and that the taxes don't cost MORE than you would pay for your own airfare. I found this amazing deal on Celebrity Cruises:

• Book before September 17th and get 50% off your companion fare on cruises to the Caribbean, Panama Canal and Europe. Many itineraries in all price ranges through February 2011. 7-night cruises from $599 per person. 

Today I learned something new, so I thought I would pass it along. When you rent a car, look at prices for rentals away from the airport. Although they may be a little less convenient, they probably won't include an airport rental fee. This is especially handy in places that have public transportation straight from the airport, like we do in Oregon. You can take the MAX from the terminal and take it into downtown or many Portland suburbs and it only sets you back $2.35 per person. That's quite a money-saver. Here are 3 more ways to save on a car rental.

You don't always have to do traditional activities when you are on vacation. Sure, Disney World and Busch Gardens are right up at the top of the list when you visit Florida, but there are so many other things to do there. This is also true of everywhere else you go. Try something different by looking up unusual activities that will take up time and are also much cheaper than ones that every tourist does. 

• When you're in London, the biggest tourist spots are Tower Bridge, the Globe, London Eye and the Tower of London, but did you know that for a fraction of the price of any of those attractions, you can take a tour of the Thames. I'm not talking about getting on a boat and sailing up and down, but you can put on some boots and tromp along the river's edge with the Beachcombing tours. Search for medieval treasure along the banks and get to take home anything you find and the tour only costs $12 per person. Read more about this tour on Budget Travel online.

Last time I told you about WalletPop's blog entry about saving money while dining out. Again, you probably thought "duh", but when you're out and about and just want to sit and enjoy a meal in an exciting new place, it's easy to forget such logic. Here's another one of David's articles about eating out. This one is regarding the Top 5 food mark-ups where restaurants make huge profits. While this is good for the restaurants, don't you want to get the most for your money? This is the same advice I give you when cruising, flying or saying in a hotel. Make your money go farther. Eat the free bread instead of ordering an appetizer and avoid the wine. Bring your own bottle and pay the corkage fee and still save over the restaurant prices. 

Here's another great item from Travelon that I own and suggest everyone else gets. It's called the Pack-Flat Back Up Bag. As it claims, it packs flat, so it takes up almost no room in your carry-on (which it fits in perfectly). When you're at the end of your trip and realize you've acquired more than your bag can handle, pull out your Travelon, unzip it and it pops open to hold all your new possessions. It conforms to carry-on limits and fits under the airplane seat. If you don't need it, it stays flat, but if you do, it's a wonderful back-up bag. 

This week since I've posted many tips and regular deals, I am excited to use the Deals of the Week to bring you more expensive sales to exotic locales. There are many once in a lifetime deals available all the time, but I've especially noticed more lately.

• 8-day Asia River cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia. Not only will you save 45% off the regular prices, but you'll visit amazing destinations like Ho Chi Minh City, Cai Be, Chau Doc and Phnom Penh. For $2800 per person, you will stay on a luxury cruise ship that includes all your meals and beverages, your transfers and gratuities and all your sightseeing with an English-speaking guide. Your transportation is quite intimate with only 3 decks including laundry facilities, a bakery, safe drinking water and air conditioning in all inside areas. A great variety of foods are served, even for guests who are vegetarian or have other special food needs. These rates are available for travel dates in 2011. 

• Spend 12 days touring Thailand from $1299 per person. You'll visit the cities of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai and Sukhothai. Your tour includes 12 days, 10 nights, round trip airfare from Los Angeles to Bangkok, all intra-Thailand flights, daily breakfast, accommodations, tour with English-speaking guides in an air-conditioned motor coach and all entry fees. More departure cities are available. Travel dates from the end of September through mid-May 2011. Book by September 22 and mention promo code: SHTH100

• Visit Rome, Athens and Cairo for 6 nights over Thanksgiving. Included in your $1205(+) per person is your round-trip airfare from New York, flights to each destination, accommodations for 2 nights in each city, hotel taxes, daily breakfast. Make your own itinerary in each city instead of being a part of any kind of tour. You can also customize this trip for different departure cities for different rates. 

Join me on Facebook to win one of two fantastic prizes! 9.09.10

The Road to 500 Fans is on! Sign up to be a fan of my page (hit the "like" button) and you'll be entered into a drawing to win one of two awesome travel products from Travelon! Two winners will be drawn when we reach our goal of 500 fans! So, encourage all your friends to become fans of Shereen Travels Cheap, because the faster we reach 500, the faster we can give away these two fantastic items. (Remember, if you're already a fan, you're automatically entered, but we still need your help to boost our numbers!)



Prize #1 - Flat-Out Hanging Toiletry Kit

This Toiletry Kit from Travelon® hangs in the bathroom for easy access to the pockets and compartments and lays flat on top of your clothes to maximize packing space. The clear panel and pockets provide easy viewing of contents. The pockets and elastic loops provide organization.

Prize #2 - Stow-Away Backpack/Tote Duo

This super-lightweight backpack/tote duo is 2 versatile products in one -- a full-size backpack or a top handle tote bag. When not in use, it packs into its own pocket to a mere 6" x 9" x 2". Take it everywhere. It’s the perfect 2nd bag when you need one.

Travelon items are awesome! I regularly use their products, including one of their toiletry bags and rolling carry-ons and have bought Travelon products as gifts. Check out their website with a complete list of products: http://www.travelonbags.com/. And don't forget to "like" them on Facebook!