Travel Tips: Tickets (Transportation)

As college students like me, we always need to figure out the most reasonable and affordable tickets for everything when we travel. However, everything is difficult, and everything costs very much.

What's kinds of tickets we need take? This is not simple, but at least, I can categorize for transportation, accommodation, and others. Now I introduce some ways of these.

Today, I introduce some tricks when people take their tickets for their destinations.

(All these information depends on the countries and companies. Please ask once for your transportation companies at first when you travel. Also, the sightseeing department of your destinations support your travel, too.)


Flights

Now many people use flights when they travel. Many people make their reservations more than two months before because airline companies provide some early-bird discounts. Also, these people always check some discount sites such as "Orbitz," "TripAdviser," and "Priceline." Some airline companies guarantee their sales price. If their reservation prices are more than the prices that travelers find, they pay back.

Mysteriously, some busy people don't care where the destinations are. They wait for the last minutes tickets if their purposes are just for vacations. These discount tickets possibly show up in a few days before the flights fly because airline companies tries to fill all seats.

Railways & Buses

If you are the international travelers, major national transportation companies such as Amtrak, and Greyhound in your destinations should have their special discounts for the international travelers. These are mostly for the long distance travels, but the prices are reasonable. If you have time in your destinations, and want to enjoy the atmosphere of your destinations, this is also one alternative. (If your destinations are insecure, transportation companies may ask about your travel insurances. If you don't have, they forcibly add this as an option.)

If you walk around the specific areas, you can choose "One Day Pass" instead of each one way/round trip tickets. If you need to ride bases/trains a lot for a day, this is very reasonable. If your destinations are not far from your places, local buses are one of the ways to be affordable.

Bicycles

If you stay some weeks, or months for the purpose of learning, bicycles may be a good idea to keep in touch with your towns. You can feel the atmosphere of the towns and find your favorite locations as soon. However, you can freely go everywhere like a bird. You need to understand where the downtown is, and where the dangerous zones.


If you are a student traveler, you may take advantage of ISIC Card, Hosteling International Membership Card, and Student Advantage. They are with special discounts for museums, sightseeing locations, and accommodations in the world.

To rent a car is also good. You can move all over your destinations. However, please don't forget to sign for your insurances when you rent cars. These cars are usually new or very clean. Sometimes, they are the targets of lobbers. Also, usually the rules of the transportation in your destination is difficult to understand for travelers. If you are not familiar with the destinations, I don't recommend to rent cars.

"Fly Away" (1998)

By Lenny Kravitz

Well, well. I'm not on the vacation, but I'm a little busy for everything everyday. I have classes, and also I have my jobs. How's my feeling now? I want to fly away..!


(Currently, I'm a little busy for my classes and jobs. I can't update much. Also, I'm thinking to take advantage of a different way for this "Travel Monkey." When all are good, I'll inform for everyone.)

Extra: Maps

This is the update of "Travel Tips: Maps" below.

Are you ready for the Holiday Travel?

Some months ago, media informed about the wrong directions of Apple Maps. It had some fatal mistakes, and some drivers who believe the direction mistakenly got into the desert in Australia.

Without these kind of disturbing behaviors, people naturally can enjoy the maps. For example, if you have Apple Maps, you can check "Horse Guard Parade" in London, UK. I believe the photo is just before the Olympic Games in 2012. It's under-construction. You can see the view from the top of Everest on the map apps, and you can see the scenes of Manhattan on them. You can enjoy seeing your old destinations and talk with people too.

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Many people want to be out for holidays, but they cannot always do. If they have families, they may spend with them. However, if the person is alone without a partner?

This article may indicate something:

How the iPad Release and Other Big Events Impacted the World’s Porn-Watching Habits

It's a news feed from "Time Magazine." It has a link to "Pornhub." It's a blog page. It has a big map. It indicate how people spend time with/without porn on special days. It's a little interesting.

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If you are in the urban jungle, museums may be solutions for your holiday plan. If you are in New York, there are a lot of museums near the Central Park. If you are in London, you have some choices of parks such as Hyde Park and St. James Park. You can stay with Themes river, and the National Museum too.

For avoiding the dull travel, please figure out a few purposes for your small trips. Also I recommend you to take some pictures, audio and video clips, and keep them for your journals.

Travel Tips: Maps

If you are busy outside everyday, you may use the "maps" such as Google Maps, Bing Maps, Apple Maps, and Nokia Maps(Here Maps) on your phone. Especially, urban explorers such as in New York, losing your ways means losing half a day of your work. However, you phones help you and find a way to get rid of because automatically they can track your locations, and precisely display on your phone.


What kind of information is used by the apps are:

Global Positioning System(GPS Data)

GPS is with the geosynchronous satellites. Originally, these were for military purposes on the coldwar era. They correctly tracked the location of ballistic missiles. After the coldwar ended in the end of 1990s, countries spread the use of the satellites to the commercial uses. Therefore, the information is very precise. This was mainly installed to the automotive navigation system for cars before. Now mostly every smartphone has it.

WiFi ID/IP Addresses

If you use the Internet, you never fail to use with IP addresses. IP addresses indicate some important information: who the administrators/users, and where the locations are. When you establish the Internet connection, the information is provided for the network. WiFi ID is also the usable information that indicates your locations. When Google created the street maps, they collected these information with the photos, and this became a huge problem in countries. Now many apps collect these IDs when you use. Users mostly automatically provide these information.

Phone ID

Your phone ID is one of the blind points for detecting your locations. Your phones have some specific ID numbers. One of them is your phone number. When you call, your phone connects near the base station and establish the phone call between your phone and the system. Each base station has each location ID. It can calculate the distance between your location and the base station. Especially, if you are with 3G phones or newer, your phones can track multiple base stations. Therefore, your phone precisely indicate your locations with GPS.


For the reasons, if you are with your smartphones, you have not lost your ways in most of Ecumene where people can live. According to NORAD ( http://www.noradsanta.com/ ), they can track Santa Claus because of these systems.

"Trepak(Russian Dance)" 

(From Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite)

Sochi Olympics comes soon. According to media, they had a lot of troubles for the torches, and also media indicates the bribery of high officials. The construction progresses also delayed, but finally, the games open on February 7, 2014. I checked about Sochi on the Internet, but it's difficult to find the information in English. However, using these map apps, we can travel around the resort town Sochi before the Olympic Games come.

Travel Tips: Internet Security

[Updated(10/09/2013): Some additional Tips Below]

Recently, I took a ride of Greyhound line, and got a large city. Then naturally, I used the Internet via our smartphone. Also, recently, people travel with their tablet computers such as iPad, Kindle Fire, and Nexus 7. These tablets are naturally useful. We can check the information about the destinations, and private emails too.

Now many people use these with the Internet Security software that keeps their devices safe. However, what do we do when we can't use our devices?

There are some Internet equipments at the airports, public libraries, and other locations such as the Internet cafes. Also we can use some office service locations such as Fedex Kinko's. Are they safe to use?

Usually, the answer is "no." For example, when I went to my college library and started up the computers a few years ago, they always recognized some viruses. Naturally, the computers are for public people. Especially, on the Internet cafes, many people use the computers for entertainments, and also these people tend to open unsafe files.

Now what to do for these:

When you sit for the computer at a public place, please try these.

1. Reboot the computer(if possible)
   If you use the computer, it may have already had some viruses. Usually, in the public internet places, they have a recovering software for computers. When the computers start up, it becomes always the same setting and the storage becomes empty. (This depends on the locations, please ask before you use.)
    
2. Check the status of the Internet Suite
   For the recent viruses and malware, usually, these computers in public places have the Internet Security suite, and automatically run when it starts. Check the status, and if it indicates malware or virus, avoid to input any private information such as ID, password, email address, phone number and names.
    
3. Check the Firewall Setting
   Before you use the computer, check the firewall status. If it doesn't have any firewall protection, you should avoid to input your private information. Usually, Firewall protects your information. It prevents leaking your information, and protects from viruses and malware.
    
4. Run the Virus Scan
   If the computer has the Virus Scan program, temporarily, it may not work when you use. You have to check it, and make sure it runs, and start browsing.
    

"But wait... how can we use the Internet computer such the bad condition?" Yes, we can use the Internet on the bad security computer. If you just want to search about your travel destinations and don't put any private information, it's mostly no problem to use. You can check the timetable of public transportation and the location on the maps.

However, if you need an appointment or reservation with your private information including name, address, phone and credit card numbers, you absolutely should avoid using public computers.

If you want to post comments to your Facebook and Twitter, write emails and store files and photos on your cloud drives, you have to bring your laptop, or use your smartphone with security software.

Avoid unhappy troubles, and try the happy travels..!

"Blurred Lines" (2013)

by Robin Thicke

Like this Robin Thickle's song, people have a kind of happy troubles on their travel, they may be good. However, don't open the Pandora's box with your private information on the Internet! It may cause the real troubles for your lives.

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[UPDATE: 10/09/2013]

Here are two more additions for your security of the Internet use. These are not only for the public Internet computers, but for your computers too.

1. Update the Computer
   I wrote when the computer reboot, the setting becomes back as the same as the first time use. It's not always good. If someone has applied to the security update, they are all gone when you reboot. If you have plenty of time to update the computer, update it before you use it.
    
2. Update the Browser
   If you update the computer, it's still not always the good condition. As the same as the reason above 1, the browsers you use is probably old ones. Check the version, and update it.

In many cases, update is the most fundamental thing people should do. If your computer has enough capacity to install updates, you should do it. Also, for the public computers, please take care of them. If you can wait to check your email, transfer files, and comment on SNS,  do it after you reach the safe place.

Travel Tips: Got Troubles!?

I didn't update much recent days. In fact, I'm in trouble on my real life. I don't have time much to do a lot of things such as this blog. However, I'll update little by little.

When you are traveling, you may have troubles. These troubles are sometimes small like battery of your camera, and sometimes big such as involving in a car accident. If you have a friend for your destination, your friend can help a lot. If you don't have, what should you do?

1. Ask the Receptionist of Your Hotel
   This is very important because your hotel provide safe and comfortable private space for you. Therefore, they also know what travelers need. They also can indicate the locations of supermarkets, drug stores, emergency services such as hospitals.
   
2. Visit "Visitor Center"
   "Visitor centers" of your destinations are also good places to solve your trouble. If you need a specific treatment, they can tell you the locations such as the hospitals, police stations, and banks.
   
3. Call Your Credit Card CompanyIf you are a credit card holder, please try your credit card company. They may have the branches near your destinations. Some companies provide coupons for shopping, and also emergency information. If your travel insurance are with your credit cards, they may prepare some alternative services and payment options for you.
   
4. Insurance Companies
   Your travel insurances are naturally for your troubles on your travel. If you purchase for your travel, you may get an insurance for it. You can talk with the branches of your destination and check the coverage.
   
5. Embassy of Your Country(If you travel abroad)The worst case is with the embassy of your country. If you have your passport, you can talk with the embassy of your country. They provide and suggest some solutions for your cases.
   

There are a lot of other ways. You can talk to bus drivers: how and where to transfer, how long it takes, and so on. If you get the post office, they know about the town and the local services. Naturally, the police station provides some information related to crimes and the deals.

"I knew you were trouble" (2012)
by Taylor Swift

I think trouble is everywhere. The worst thing of trouble is that it brings every single enjoyment out. For example, if a cute girl passes, she is not the matter of you. Also, you need to talk with someone else and change your travel plan for it. You may need to get back to your home as soon.

Anyway, when you are on your travel, you are a stranger. Don't forget for the emergency treatments when you prepare for your travel.

(Recently, some travel agencies, insurance companies and embassies provide a lot of information on their websites. Some companies also have been released travel apps for your smartphones. Before you travel, I recommend to download them and deal with.)

Fourth of July

The Independence Day is tomorrow. I'm wondering how people spend time. Personally, today, I bought Budweiser with the Stars and Stripes. I've also got some food made in USA.

By the way, recently, many wildfires have occurred in the West Coast and Mountain areas of the United States. Naturally, people believe these wildfires spontaneously happens. However, some of them might be with cigarettes, fireworks, and campfires. When you'll get fun places, please treat fire carefully.

Also, this weekend, people go out and enjoy with the attractions such as parades, music lives, and fireworks. When you go out for these attractions, you feel thirsty in the Sun. Don't be patient, and drink water for your body conditions.

If you travel in the United States, here are some ideas for American foods.

• Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Milk and Apples(Breakfast)
• Hotdogs, or Hamburgers with French Fries + Coke(Lunch)
• BBQ with spareribs, and garden salads + Budweiser(Dinner)  

You also can try some American food near your traveling areas. Some restaurants serve their favorite dishes and beers with special discounts. Also if you are not in the United States, you can try these this summer. You can check how to cook online!

"Listen To The Music" (1972)

by The Doobie Brothers

Originally, Fourth of July is the independent day. It's not only a fun day, but also the day of thank for the nation and veterans. Don't forget the meaning, and enjoy the holiday!

If you want to know more about Fourth of July, you can check on History Channel.

• History of Fourth of July

Holiday Notice

Update(12/12): This Los Angeles' Metro' s Holiday service has specific time. This free hours starts from 9pm on both 12/24 and 12/31. These are until 2am on through on midnight.

I also need to be careful :-)

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'Day Trip' is one of the fun for everyone. Naturally, we have desires to have a break. However the tragic jams are always our worries.

I wrote these before the thanksgiving day. However, please check once more!

In fact, Christmas is a big day in the world because many of them believes new or old testaments. Without wolves in the cities, people tend to stay with their family. Especially, in small towns in the United States, public services stops for the traditions because people won't go out.I live in a small town. I really suffer from this inconvenience.

However, in the urban area, there are some special services. For example in Los Angeles, the days before holidays on Dec. 24 and Dec.31 Will be free ride.

If you travel now in the world, please take care of your plans.

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In fact, now I'm on a travel for my things. I can find a lot of holiday information around the city. If I can take some photos between my things, I'll post the holiday atmosphere.

Next week, we face the end of the Mayan calendar. How do we survive for this? We should think about future world.

Travel Tips: Election

UPDATE: This is not only for the United States local, but for international. If your election happens with the members, please replace the poll to the supporter's meeting. For cases, I corrected some(10/10).

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Next month, the Presidential Election happens in the United States. Many people go to the election. Now many Americans think about who is the best guy for the winner. Also, in Venezuela, last Sunday was the polling day for the election. "Election" is one of the most important events as a citizen of the country, right?

However, if we go to the polling or meeting, it takes time. It's a little trouble some. However, it's also a good chance to try a tiny journey around you.

Preparations:

1. Smartphone, or camera
2. Water & Towel
3. Memos for a few places that you want to try

You can put these things into your small backpack.

I recommend to get out by foot or by bicycle because the polls or meetings are normally near your house. Therefore, your small journey happens before, after or both before and after your poll or meeting. You check the memo, walk around with your smartphone, and take photos if you find any favorite moments on your small journey.

You can stop at a park, a cafe, a beach, a shopping mall or everywhere you want. Also you can take a train or a bus.

Maybe you can walk through a autumn colored leaves in a park. Maybe, you can find a nice cafe near the poll. Maybe you can take a fantastic photo.

When all your journey is done, you must have some photos. You print them, and name them. Then it's your work of the day. You can email them, put on your blog them and so on.

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When we go out, we can find a lot of strange things. Maybe some of them will be treasures for you, and some of them are just the jokers.

"The Joker / Everything I Own" 

by Jason Marz (2006)

Anyway, the chance of the small journey is everywhere. This song is from the movie named "Happy Feet." If you feel happy for all things when all your journey is done, it may be the sign of the next happy feet for you.

(I'm sorry about this poll and meeting issues. It's a little complicated, but at least I have a lot of visitors from North America and European countries including Russia.)