Au pair reunion is good excuse for family trip
August 31, 2010 ·
There’s nothing like having someone live with you for a year to forge a lifelong friendship. But you can’t just drop by for coffee when that person lives across the Atlantic Ocean. My husband and I hosted German au pairs for seven years to care for our three children. And from the moment we quit [...]
Avoiding a large phone bill when traveling
August 5, 2010 ·
Ubiquitous connectivity has its downside, especially when it comes to the price of using your cellphone abroad. The proliferation of smartphones and the increased use of data have made it easier than ever to rack up huge communications bills while traveling overseas, even on a short trip. “Many leisure travelers with iPhones are going to [...]
New Orleans back in Travel + Leisure top 10 cities
July 8, 2010 ·
New Orleans is back in Travel + Leisure magazine’s top 10 cities list for the first time since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city and its tourism industry in August 2005. New Orleans took the No. 7 spot in the category of top cities in U.S. and Canada, part of the magazine’s annual World’s Best Awards. [...]
Passport fees going up July 13
July 7, 2010 ·
Passport fees are increasing as of July 13. The fee for first-time adult passport applications is increasing $35, from $100 to $135, according to the U.S. Department of State. For minors under age 16, fees will increase from $85 to $105. For passport cards, fees will increase from $45 to $55 for adults and from [...]
Review: Travel sites take off with tools for deals
July 7, 2010 ·
A lot has changed since I reviewed travel websites four years ago. Now the best ones reflect the new realities of travel, and offer to include luggage fees in fare calculations. That helps because $15 or $25 applied each way can turn a good deal sour. My verdict this time: I found TripAdvisor slightly better [...]
Expedia Exclusive Offer: Get a $50 prepaid MasterCard® card!
July 1, 2010 ·
Hurry! Right now, Expedia ll give you a $50 prepaid MasterCard® card for gas when you book a 3+ night stay at participating hotels. Your card can be used everywhere debit MasterCard cards are accepted! Book by July 27; travel through August 31, 2010. On the booking confirmation page, remember to provide a shipping address [...]
Airfares not yet back at pre-crisis levels
June 30, 2010 ·
Average airline fares have risen significantly but have not yet reached levels seen before the global downturn, despite more travelers and greater volumes of freight, industry body IATA said on Wednesday. In its latest financial snapshot, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday that fares still remained 10-15 percent below their pre-recession peak. [...]
