Travel Green with Tervis!

Thanks to Tervis for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website http://www.tervis.com to learn more about the world’s first smart cup.

While I love to travel, I often think about how my actions on vacation effect the environment. I do my best to recycle everything I can, bring my own shopping bags – or reusing the ones I get on my trips – and generally leave as little waste as possible. I know it can be hard with all the brochures and ticket stubs you gather along the way, but if you truly don’t want them, make sure you recycle them. I keep all mine for scrapping when I get home. The one thing people probably don’t even think about is how many cups can be used and thrown in the garbage when they are constantly on the go. From the morning stop for coffee to stops at that yummy looking food cart. You get thirsty, and water isn’t always fun.

I have been taking along reusable water bottles on my trips, but they aren’t good for everything. I mean, I’m obviously not going to sip a hot latte out of one. A – how would I get it in there? and B – how many times would I burn my hands before I left it in the room? Here’s a new plan: Bring along a travel cup that works for everything from coffee and tea to soda and water. It makes sense and I’m not sure why I haven’t thought of it before. I take a travel mug with me on road trips and my work commutes, why not take it further? It is a ‘travel’ mug after all. This is where Tervis comes in. With affordable pricing, attractive (and customizable) patterns, the double-walled construction keeps hot stuff hot and cold stuff cold, without freezing or burning your hands.

You can choose from a huge selection of patterns for your tumbler, to show of your personality. From animal prints to your favorite sports team, there is really a style for everyone. You can also choose the type of lid you want for each cup you purchase, as they are sold separately, for a reasonable price. Your tumbler has an unconditional lifetime guarantee, so if it cracks or breaks, as long as you still have the bottom of the cup with the company logo, that’s all you need to send with the return form to get it replaced with the same or similar design. How many other companies offer that? I can name quite a few who don’t!

Get one for each person in your traveling party and fill them up and use them wherever you go. Already, it’s saving you at least 1 cup each morning for not using a paper or Styrofoam cup at the coffee shop or in your hotel room. Some places, like Starbucks, will even discount your drink purchase for bringing in your own cup. While you’re hanging out in your hotel room, you can drink from something that wasn’t covered in plastic wrap or meant for juice or teeth brushing. In short, a cup big enough to not need refilling after every two sips. You don’t even have to pack it in your bag and take up valuable room you need. Fill it up at the coffee shop or soda fountain when you get through airport security and take it onboard with you. You won’t have to wait for the drink cart to make its way down the aisle to quench your thirst! And if you take a lot of road trips, there’s never been a better reason to get one (or more) for your car’s cupholder!

With so many designs to choose from, you and your traveling companions can all be unique and help save the environment by creating less waste for landfills. When empty, toss them in your day pack to refill later.

Some other important facts:

·         Tervis products are made in the USA.

·         All tumblers come with an unconditional lifetime guarantee, even if you received it from someone else, and can be replaced free of charge.

·         Most designs are available in 10oz, 12oz, 16oz and 24oz sizes, some also available in 10oz wavy tumblers & 15oz mugs.

·         Tervis has a “Green Team” that participates in green initiatives for the surrounding communities.

·         Tervis participates in the Relay for Life with a team and campaign funding.

·         While most physical Tervis stores are located in the Southeast, you can purchase from the convenience of your own home through Tervis.com and several other online retailers (as well as local offline retailers).

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. To learn more about Tervis, visit their website http://www.tervis.com.

A Library in Your Carry-On 10.22.11

Nobody likes to be bored when they travel. No matter where I go, I bring along some form of entertainment, whether it’s reading material, a game or a puzzle book. Sitting on the airplane, train or in the car, you can’t always pass the time sleeping or shooting the breeze with your fellow companions. Also, sometimes you just want some time to yourself. In anticipation of the Shereen Travels Cheap book coming out in the next week, I’ve been thinking more and more about ebook readers and what great travel companions they make. While I LOVE a good book, I also love saving space in my luggage. Before Kindle came along, I always took up too much room in my packing with physical books. With one book that I was in the middle of and another as backup for when I finished in the middle of my vacation.

Are you a lover or books and reading? If so, this may still be your problem. While you can leave books in many hotel lobbies for other avid trip readers, books still take up room in your bags. Whether they are travel books, reference books, novels, journals or text books. Now, I carry 80% of the books I own with me, as well as blogs and newspapers I read often. I take notes on my device, too. The space I save by owning a Kindle is invaluable, because I have a wealth of information at my disposal, infinite reading material as well as Internet access, should I need it.

You rarely see me go anywhere without my Kindle and anytime anyone asks me about it, I am singing its praises. I love, love, love my Kindle, though I know it’s not the right ebook reader for everyone. There are new and improved models, but you can also choose from Nook, the Sony ereader and numerous others. There is certainly one for everyone now. While they may get smaller, the font size is always adjustable. Great for your little sister or your grandma!

Ebook readers can be super useful, as many have Wi-Fi now and can be used as tablets on-the-go. Plus, if you own an iPad, you already have a book reader. With free reading apps, they do double duty. Take pictures, write notes, check email, pay bills, Skype with friends and family, update your blog and read all the books you want. In the same space of a regular size novel, you can take every book you own (or at least the ones you downloaded). Kindle books run cheaper than actual books and you save paper and space at home and on the road. You can find most books for around $9.99, though some are more if they are new releases and many are cheaper to entice you more. In fact, there are many free and $.99 books for download and this is true on other services that are not on Amazon. Order with the credit card you have on file and get it wirelessly in under a minute. Lend books to friends, upload your own books and even listen to audio books or MP3s.

Here I am enjoying my own Kindle.

I prefer my Kindle with the 3G, because I don’t have to find a Wi-Fi connection to download a new book. As long as there is cell service, I can read something new. If you spend a lot of time in coffee shops and other places that are Wi-Fi hotspots, then you may wish to save money on your ereader and get one that has Wi-Fi only. As long as you aren’t continually using the wireless function, your battery will last much longer than you would have thought. When I’m not on vacation, I read on my lunch break at work. I have been able to read for 8+ hours on one battery charge, which is more than I can say for the battery life of any other electronic device I own. So, whether you’re on a 2 hour plane ride or a 15 hour train trip, your ereader can make the journey with you without needing recharging for a long time, making it one of the best travel companions you could own.

If you have an ebook reader or other web-enabled device, you can subscribe to this blog on it through Amazon. You’ll also be able to download the Shereen Travels Cheap book when it becomes available in the next week or so (it may be a bit behind the physical book). Why wouldn’t you want to take all the best travel tips, websites and packing techniques everywhere you go? Know when to plan, what to pack and where to book even when you’re not at home. If you love this blog, you’ll love the book even more!

We have several good things to talk about this time! Shereen Travels Cheap has been going through some good changes. The STC book will be available for purchase near the end of the month (final edits have run through the proof and the final final is on its way. Woot woot!

Don't forget that we have a great newsletter that goes out once a week (maybe twice if something too good to miss presents itself) with updates, tips and blog reminders...you'll get a fancy one as soon as the book is available for you to buy copies for everyone on your holiday list!

I've become a new frequent contributor on FareCompare, which is a fantastic site that brings you amazing travel sales, tips for finding the best airfare anytime of year. If you've missed my last few posts, you can read them here:

5 Strategies for Avoiding Airline Fees

Making Overbooked Flights Work in Your Favor

Explore London While Staying Within a Budget

Why Vacation Rentals are Awesome 10.19.11

Do you get "Vacation Rage" as I do? I don't think I can be the only one. There is one day of my vacation that I just have a complete meltdown and I'm in a corner crying and yelling at people who bother me. It could be from lack of sleep, jet lag, or being in a new environment. Not getting any alone time will do it, too. After I make it out of the room, you will usually find me eating chocolate cake and probably buying something I don't need that I will wonder why I bought when I get home.  If you travel with other people, then you may know what I'm talking about. Being with people (or just one person) all day everyday can be stressful and annoying. You may alleviate your "rage" just by getting some time away from them. At home, you can go in another room, but when you're traveling you rarely get that opportunity. What's the solution? More room! How do you do that? My suggestion: rent an apartment, house or condo. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against hotels. I love them and stay in a lot of them, but sometimes, renting a house, apartment or condo is simply more practical. I've come up with my top reasons why I would choose to rent:

• You are spending a week or more in a destination. Prices on vacation rentals are cheaper if you rent by the week. 
• You are traveling as a family or a group. Unlike hotels, vacation rentals are booked per night/week, not by occupants. They don't care if 2 or 10 people stay there (providing you don't trash the place and the rental can accommodate that many people), the rate is the rate. 
• You have more space. Most rentals have separate sleeping, dining and sitting spaces, so even if it's not a big place, you don't have to be right on top of your traveling companion(s). Unless you book a suite in a hotel where you have more room to spread out, you are basically stuck with one room and the bathroom, which is generally tiny. Plus, hotel suites can run twice as much as a vacation rental, and you don't even get as much for your money.

 

• Cook your own meals in the kitchen provided. Cooking on vacation doesn't always sound like a fun idea, but if you know you don't HAVE to, it becomes less of a chore. It also saves you money, because dining out can cost an arm and a leg. For the price of one meal out at a restaurant, you can make a trip to a local grocer and pick up food for breakfast...for the week. Even if you end up buying several different things (i.e. eggs, oatmeal, cereal, bagels, fruit), you still end up saving a lot. While I''m at the store, I also pick up some sandwich stuff and snacks (if I want something different than what I've brought with me), so we don't have to go out after dinner when we feel like munching on something and also to take with me during a long day out sightseeing. 
• You don't have to clean up after yourself each morning, to make sure all your belongings are out of the way. (For those of you who don't do this, shame on you!) You can wait until the night before you leave when you're packing up to wash dishes and hang up towels. 

• You're less likely to have noisy neighbors and you're guaranteed to not have children running up and down the hallway screaming at the top of their lungs at all hours...unless they're yours.
• You can come and go as you please. Sure, you can do this if you're staying in a hotel, but many hotels lock the doors at a certain time of night, or you have to give your key to them every time you leave (this is common in the UK). 

• Feel like a native. This is one of my favorite feelings. You aren't going back to a hotel, but a home. It's like you're actually living there during your travels, making it easier to feel at home in your new surroundings. 
• If you're renting a car, you almost always get free parking! Many hotels will charge $15+ a day to park in their lot/garage. That's money in your pocket!

Try these Great websites for vacation rental listings: 

• VRBO.com - By far the largest vacation rental website on the net, so you may have to do a bit of searching to find a really good deal amongst them. You will get to see many pictures, the location and rates. Then you can email the owner for more information right from their website.
• FlipKey.com - Run by TripAdvisor, this site lists many vacation rentals by owner. You will get detailed information about the property, previous renter reviews and pictures. There is a calendar with available dates and rates. You contact the owner directly by email through the site to ask any questions, request more pictures and to make your reservation.
• ResortQuest.com - You can book a variety of rentals through them, including vacation homes, hotel, condos and resorts. With over 100,000 rentals to choose from in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and now Europe, you’re sure to find one that suits your needs.
• HomeAway.com - Sponsored by companies like Travel + Leisure and Virgin American, you can't go wrong booking with HomeAway. It boasts over 230,000 listings at reasonable costs.

It's been quite a while since we've had the deals of the week. I often skip them, because I post so many deals on Facebook and Twitter, it seems like overkill. Make sure you follow me on both to see deals each day and take advantage of them before they expire. 

Stay at the Trump International Plaza in Las Vegas for under $100 per night. The low tourism in Vegas can be your benefit with this deal from Travelzoo:

Kick back in a suite at the luxurious 5-star Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and save 45% on regular rates. Guests will also receive a $25 spa credit (per stay). Travel through Dec. 29, including Thanksgiving and Christmas:

• $84 per night Sundays-Thursdays
• $114 per night Fridays-Saturdays

Suites include full kitchens, and the bathrooms are outfitted with a spa tub and in-mirror plasma TV. The hotel is across the street from Fashion Show Mall, with stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.  

Make sure you use the promo code provided.

Enjoy free onboard credits up to $250 on your next cruise. Cruise on Royal Caribbean for as little as $45 per night per person and receive up to $200 onboard credit on sailings to the Southern Caribbean, Dubai and Western Europe. Cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line and receive up to $250 onboard credits plus a reduced deposit on Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas and Hawaii sailings. Book by October 21 to take advantage of these deals.

Round-Trip Flights from $512+

Now's a great time to start planning your fall getaway! Take advantage of flight deals to Europe with American Airlines and visit London, Paris, Rome, or anywhere else in between for a steal. Fares start as low as $512+ round-trip, so book now! 

• Book by October 27, 2011.
• Outbound travel is valid October 29, 2011, and March 26, 2012.
• All travel must be complete May 15, 2012.

Country Inn & Suites Orlando Maingate Calypso Cay - $169 - from Yuupon

Original Price: $432 -- 61% off!

• Three nights in 1BR suite for 2 adults/2 kids just $169
• Late 3 p.m. check-out ($35 value)
• Tiki Bar/resort credit ($20 value)
• 1 time picnic/grill kit with burgers and hot dogs ($25 value)
• Waived resort fees
• more!
• Purchase by October 24
• Great location near Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios.

We have several good things to talk about this time! Shereen Travels Cheap has been going through some good changes. The STC book will be available for purchase near the end of the month (final edits have run through the proof and the final final is on its way. Woot woot!

Don't forget that we have a great newsletter that goes out once a week (maybe twice if something too good to miss presents itself) with updates, tips and blog reminders...you'll get a fancy one as soon as the book is available for you to buy copies for everyone on your holiday list!

I've become a new frequent contributor on FareCompare, which is a fantastic site that brings you amazing travel sales, tips for finding the best airfare anytime of year. If you've missed my last few posts, you can read them here:

5 Strategies for Avoiding Airline Fees

Making Overbooked Flights Work in Your Favor

Explore London While Staying Within a Budget