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Why you always should wear seat belt on the plane

Vi — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 12:42:41 +0000

I am frequent flier and every time I am on the plane I surprised how many people do ignore seat bell sign. I am not talking only about stewardess reminders to wear seat belt all the time during flight. People are not wearing their seat belt while seat belt sign is on during flight or during landing. Every year accidents happens because of turbulence with injuries or even deaths which could be avoided in most cases if people would wear seat belts. Latest accident happened yesterday in Hong Kong with 7 people injured.

Here is good example why you shouldn’t ignore signs:

and why you must wear seat belt during landing. May be it is the best landings, but for passengers who were sitting on the plane it wasn’t the best experience.

Like in the car seat belt is for your safety and most people even without thinking wear seat belts in the car. The same you should do on the plane. It is not a toy and you shouldn’t ignore the signs.

UPDATE 2022

Here is the latest story about floating passengers on plane:

According to the New Straits Times (NST), several passengers had “floated” in their seats as their plane, a Boeing 737-800, took a “sharp dive” of about 7,000ft.
A passenger onboard wrote on Facebook that her flight, MH2664, took off from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) at 2:30pm, only to take a “sharp dive” 30 minutes after take-off, according to NST.
Based on the passenger’s checks on the Flight Radar application, the flight was cruising at 31,000ft, before dropping to 24,000ft “in a matter of seconds”.
She recounted that she had “floated” out of her seat because her seat belt was unfastened as the seat belt signs were turned off at the time.
She also said that some of the passengers were screaming and crying and feared for their lives.
She added that the flight then made a U-turn, circled above Malacca a few times, and returned to KLIA.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has confirmed the flight’s turn back to KLIA and said it would be reviewing the airline’s Flight Data Monitoring System.
Malaysian Airlines confirmed that the flight turned back to KL “due to technical issues with the aircraft, compounded by bad weather en route“.

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Tips on Buying Cheap Domestic Air Tickets in India

Vi — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:59:45 +0000

There are a growing number of both domestic and international air travelers within India and this had led to an increased growth in the aviation sector. The country’s economic growth has allowed travel to become easier since many households are earning enough in terms of income to afford travel. If you are looking to travel throughout India itself, there are a few ways to obtain cheaper airline tickets, here is just a sample.

Find Cheap Flights Online

It is easy to find cheap air tickets online at any number of websites, including some top travel sites like Travelocity.com or Expedia.com. If you go the online route, you will not need to purchase through an agent and you can compare airline costs for the same flight with several airlines. It is also possible you can find fantastic deals, packages and offers through the websites and a few offer special incentives and gifts for buying with them.

Book a Flight with a Domestic Carrier

Since the travel industry is booming in India, along with business travelers, several domestic airlines have come on the scene. Instead of booking with a larger carrier, book with a smaller domestic airline (like GoAir or Kingfisher Airlines) for cheaper seats. You are sure to find the price you want and still travel in style and comfort.

Book your Flight through an Agent

One of the best ways to get a cheaper flight is to book through a travel agent. A travel agent has access to all available flights within the country, knows the taxes and costs of each flight and can find you the best flight with the cheapest cost possible. An agent can explain the breakdown of the prices as well, for example, taxes, aviation fuel costs and Passenger Service Fees.

Look for Selloffs and Deals

Depending on the time of year, many Indian airlines will offer selloff prices and great deals in order to help their bottom line. For example, the slowest period for travel tends to be around January and February, so airlines will offer seat deals to encourage travelers. Also, airlines know many people travel for business reasons and will offer deals and discounts for frequent domestic flyers to obtain their business.

One thing to bear in mind when booking a domestic flight in India, all airfares are subject to change at any time. It is a good idea to make sure of the price of the flight before booking and know what your taxes will be as well.

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iPhone 5 is not ready for travelers yet

Vi — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:52:20 +0000

This week latest iPhone 5 will become available for public and the first time I am thinking about buying smart phone. Yes, I still don”t have neither iPhone, neither Samsung Galaxy as I didn’t want to waste my time everyday by looking where to charge that smart phone. Up to now I was happy with simple cellular phone without any advanced features with standby time for two weeks.

Thought during one of my last trips to London Olympic Games I started to think about smart phone purchase. It was so many information online: games schedules and results, available tickets, traffic information, sightseeing routes and etc. I could carry laptop or iPad, but I like to keep my backpack very light and smart phone would be perfect choice. Of course such events like London Olympics doesn’t happen very often and I still could survive without any smart phone, but features of the latest iPhone 5 made me think again. May be I should get one?

I am not keen to share on social networks (aka twitter, facebook or google+) my current location and all activities I am doing at the moment as I think it is not safe, so didn’t have smart phone up to now, but three features of iPhone 5 interested me:

iPhone 5 has improved iSight camera and with new A6 chip it will capture photos quicker. The new panorama feature lets you shoot up to an impressive 240 degrees high-resolution panorama up to 28 megapixels. New camera with improved video stabilization helps record stunning 1080p HD video. This camera won’t change my Canon DSLR, but I really started to think iPhone 5 could be replacement of my P&S camera.

Apple ditched Google Maps and introduced its own Apple Maps application. It is new product and still there are no reviews, but I hope it will be good and will require less bandwidth. Maps application is done in partnership with TomTom know as world’s leading supplier of location and navigation products and services.
Passbook application is the most interested new application in latest iOS 6. In the middle of this year Apple announced its Passbook program which could replace all tickets and gift cards in your wallet. But most importantly it can store your boarding passes, so you won’t need seek printer during your travels.
With Passbook, you can scan your iPhone to check in for a flight. Wake your iPhone and passes appear on your Lock screen at the appropriate time and place when you reach the airport. If your departure gate changes after you’ve checked in for your flight, Passbook will alert you to make sure you’re not relaxing in the wrong terminal. This application seems will be irreplaceable companion for a lot of frequent travelers. Of course it will take some time until major airlines adopt this technology. American Airlines, Delta, United and Virgin airlines are among the early partners and hopefully other will follow.

Will I buy iPhone 5 tomorrow when the phone will be released at Apple store? I am not sure yet. I probably will wait for more reviews of all these application I am interested in, but I feel I will buy one at the end.

UPDATE Sep 21

It seems travellers should wait with purchase of new iPhone, as there are lot of problems with their mapping application. You can check some reviews here and here. Surprisingly bad quality of satellite shots and it give wrong directions.

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Departure fee – most annoying thing in New Zealand

Vi — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:53:19 +0000

UPDATE 2015 : click here for latest update about departure tax in New Zealand. The fee is scarped from most airports in New Zealand.

In the last 3 years I have been on and off New Zealand for may be 10 times. I always had great time out there, but there is one thing which really annoys me every time I come to airport to catch my out bound flight from New Zealand. It is departure fee. For all international departures you need to pay departure tax (currently it is 25$NZ).
It looks a small charge comparing with amount of money you already spent in the country. That is the thing I can’t understand – they collect so much taxes from all tourist industry, as it is expensive country to travel, and it is still not enough and they just want to ruin all your wonderful experience about New Zealand. Small thing, but I am sure it will be remembered by most of tourists. Especially all whose long queues to pay that fee.

Gladly at least in Auckland airport you don’t need to pay this fee, but keep 25$NZ in you pocket if you are flying out from any other airport in New Zealand.

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Do you know how to use snow chains?

Vi — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 11:00:44 +0000

It is winter in Southern Hemisphere and a lot of people are heading skiing to Snowy Mountains in Australia or Southern Alps in New Zealand. While I was living in Europe or Canada I was used to drive with all season or winter tires and never had a chance to use show chains. But in Australia or New Zealand snow is only high in the mountains so of course you won’t be changing tires for weekend trip to ski resort or if you want just to cross mountain range above snow line like Arthur Pass in New Zealand. Nobody will force you to hire snow chains but for peace of mind I would definitely recommend do so, as you can stuck somewhere on not passable road. Of course snow chains are must to have if you are going skiing in New Zealand. May be you’ll end up without need to use snow chains, but if you never ever used it, you should ask for demonstration how to fit when renting it. It easy to fit it when you know it, but you can damage car heavily if you are not experienced with doing it and will do it wrong. On the snow chains bag usually there are instructions how to use it, but it was unreadable on bag I had. I was lucky as somebody in my car knew how to fit chains, otherwise I would be in big trouble. Don’t do such mistake.

Have a save trip!

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Discover America in your RV

Guest — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:00:40 +0000

Guest post by Tim Simis

Summer is almost here and what better way to celebrate than with the great American tradition known as the road trip? However, before the rubber hits the road, there are several things to consider. Read on to find out not only which areas of the country are the best for RV trekking, but also tips and tricks for planning your trip and getting the best fuel economy.

Before you go

While spontaneity may seem like fun idea, without a little advance planning your trip will derail before it’s even had a chance to begin. Before you go, ask yourself these questions:

How many people are traveling and are any kids coming along?
Are there any special needs? Does anyone going on the trip have any health issues that need addressing? If this is the case, you’ll want to be sure the RV has the proper accessibility and that your road trip stays within a reasonable distance from medical facilities.
What types of activities you would like to do? If you’re planning on doing some type of activity that requires hauling toys such as bicycles or jet skis, be sure your RV is up to the challenge.
What amenities will you need? The range of facilities available for RV camping is quite broad and includes everything from upscale resort environments to dry camping (no electric, water or sewer hookups).
How many days will the trip take and how many miles are you willing to go? This will play a large role in determining your itinerary and destinations.
What is your budget? The answers to the above questions will, in part, determine your budget – and vice versa. Also impacting your budget will be whether or not you’re renting an RV if you don’t own one already. Rental pricing can vary greatly; so it’s a good idea to shop around ahead of time.

Best areas for RV trekking

No matter if you’re planning a long weekend close to home or an epic cross country round trip, check out these must-see areas and itineraries:

Route 66. Get your kicks from Los Angeles to Chicago on this iconic cross-country itinerary.
Western States National Park Loop. Begin and end in San Francisco, taking in nearly a dozen National Parks from Yosemite to Bryce Canyon. Stops in Las Vegas and San Diego can also be easily incorporated.
Northeastern States Loop. This loop begins and ends in New York City, with a scenic drive through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before heading back south through Massachusetts and Connecticut.
South Florida Loop. Orlando is the city to begin and end this sunny itinerary, continuing to Miami, Key West, the Everglades, and Fort Myers. Take a side trip to Sanibel Island before heading back to Orlando, a major tourist destination on its own.

Fuel saving tips

Unfortunately, the cost of gas for an extended RV trip can be expensive. Luckily, there are several easy things you can do to improve your fuel economy.

Make sure the engine is properly tuned. Some mechanics estimate that a properly tuned engine can use up to 50 percent less gas than a poorly tuned one.
Make sure that your RV generator is working properly
Make sure tires are inflated properly. Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage up to 3.3 percent, according to FuelEconomy.gov.
Use cruise control. Traveling at slower and more consistent speeds is a proven way to increase fuel economy, so set your cruise control for 55 mph on the interstate and enjoy the savings.
Avoid filling the tank on a weekend. Prices generally are higher on weekends than on weekdays, so fill up during the week to get the most for your money.
Reduce air drag. Anything sticking up from the roof of the RV can cause drag, which reduces fuel economy. Make sure any antennas are down and that the AC unit is covered.

Adventure beckons

As long as there’s a gas station along the way and some space to park your RV, anywhere you can reach by a nice, wide, paved road is a potentially great destination, as long as you’ve got the spirit of American adventure with you!

This post was written and contributed by Tim Simis. Tim has been RV’ing for several years and stresses the importance of checking over your RV before your trip. Tim gets his RV parts from RVpartssupplier.com

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5 Reasons to Choose P&O Cruises

Guest — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:14:50 +0000

Guest post by Terrance Richardson

Potential cruise passengers might have a tough time deciding which company truly offers the most affordable, most luxurious or most enjoyable cruise ships. With so many options it can become overwhelming to make the ultimate selection. P&O Cruises is a British company that has earned a reputation for providing passengers with unparalleled luxury, welcoming accommodation, exciting destinations and on board amenities to please each traveller. If you are planning a cruise holiday in the future, here are five reasons to consider P&O Cruises in 2012:

cruise ship Ventura

1. Luxury Accommodations: One of the biggest reasons that P&O Cruises is consistently ranked as one of the top cruise lines is because of the luxury cabins and suites on offer for passengers. The air conditioned rooms are private, inviting and outfitted with truly luxurious furniture and bedding. Choose from a range of sizes to meet your needs as well as your budget.

2. British Atmosphere: Many cruise liners cater primarily to an American audience. P&O Cruises targets the discerning British traveller who wants to enjoy all the comforts of home while exploring exotic destinations. This might be as simple as a perfectly brewed mid-morning cup of a tea or a full English breakfast fry-up at the buffet restaurants on board.

3. Extensive List of Destinations: P&O Cruises offers hundreds of unique destinations for travellers to choose from. Many passengers opt to tour the ancient cities along the Mediterranean Sea like Venice, Athens and Istanbul for a dose of culture and heritage. Others prefer to head off to exotic locations like Hong Kong, Dubai or Rio de Janeiro to experience new languages, cultures and continents. Also increasingly popular are Caribbean cruises that sail from island nation to island nation throughout the area and offer beautiful beaches, tropical climates and stunning scenery along the way.

4. Incredible Nightly Entertainment: The fun on board a P&O Cruise won’t stop just because the sun goes down. Each night there are dozens of different ways that passengers can choose to spend their time. Each ship has themed nightclubs, superb dining options, film premieres, gambling in the on board casinos, live music, quiz nights, theatre and musical performances and more. More casual evenings can be spent at the on board bars and lounges sipping intimate drinks with your partner or enjoying a live sports match with new friends.

5. Family-Friendly Ships: The cruise ships operated by P&O Cruises are specifically designed with the entire family in mind. Parents will love the special tea created for children each night before the main service when young children can dine on fish fingers, salads, pizzas and sandwiches so that parents can enjoy formal dinners alone. The Reef is a special program for children ages two through seventeen that includes age appropriate activities to entertain and educate those on board.

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Give way rules are changing in New Zealand

Vi — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:00:05 +0000

There are road rule changes if you are planning trip to New Zealand this year. You probably heard about right-hand rule in New Zealand. From 5am on 25 March 2012 this rule will be obsolete. The new rule will be in force: vehicles turning left will then have right of way over those turning right. This applies at cross roads, T-intersections and driveways where both vehicles are facing each other with no signs or signals, or the same signs or signals.

On NZ Transport Agency website you can find details of new rules, illustrations and explanations. Hopefully it will reduce confusion for tourists travelling in NZ and it will be less accidents on roads of New Zealand.

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Where to buy train ticket in India

Vi — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:59 +0000

Train in India

You most likely will use train if you are planning trip to India. I should disappoint you if you are hoping to get train tickets when you’ll be in India. It is better to buy tickets in advance ff you want your trip to be without hassle. During my preparation I find out that tickets on some routes were sold out even two months in advance. So don’t wait till last minute.
The next question: where to buy these tickets? There is railway tickets reservation system (IRCTC) funded by Indian Government but is not very user friendly. Also you need to have Indian phone number as otherwise you won’t be able to register there.
The best site to make your tickets reservation is Cleartrip which is created with IRCTC association but looks much easier to use and there more search options which helps you faster to find tickets you need.
I hope this will help your trip planning and enjoy India.

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