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TripAdvisor, Peanut Butter, and Daypacks
These are just some of the recent posts on our blog. I discuss whether you can trust TripAdvisor for making plans (the answer is yes, with caveats, but do check out forums) and also why I bring peanut butter on all my international trips. Deb discusses handy uses for bandanas and tips for buying daypacks. If distracting yourself with reading these kinds of tips during the week seems appealing, subscribe to our blog and receive an email every time we post a new one.
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Two new 2012 trips
We've just posted two new US trips for next year. Both are in stunning but very different National Parks(see sidebar pictures).
The first is Hiking and Rafting Glacier National Park. From classic hiking trails to the solitude of an overnight whitewater rafting trip, we think this is the way to experience the grandeur of Glacier National Park. While its glaciers have been retreating for the past 30 years, it remains one of our most beautiful parks.
The other new trip is Islands, Lakes, and Dunes: Exploring Northern Michigan. On this trip we combine a visit to one of northern Michigan's best known destinations, Mackinac Island (and enjoy high tea at the Grand Hotel) with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, sure to get lots more attention now that it has been named "Most Beautiful Place in America".
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A Couple of Random Tips
1. I've written about my experience using Skype on a smartphone to call someone else on Skype when I'm traveling internationally. The sound quality is great and the cost (nothing) is perfect. However, the person you're calling has to be on a computer and have Skype open when you call - so it has to be planned.
What I forgot is that, as long as you have access to WiFi, you can use Skype to call someone on their landline for pennies. When I was in Austria, an urgent situation came up in the US and I had to make several phone calls over several days. Before I remembered to use Skype, I spent $57 to talk 43 minutes. After I started using Skype, I spent $1.36 to talk 56 minutes. I don't think I'll forget that again!!
2. I've mentioned ITA software before as a good website for researching flights. Recently I was looking for a multi-city itinerary and found a good one on United. You can't actually book your flight on ITA software so I copied the exact itinerary, which included a leg on Swiss Air, and went to the United website - where I couldn't find it. The only one that was close cost $200 more. So I called United and booked it on the phone. It had not come up on their website because it included a Swiss Air flight, one of their alliance partners. Because I knew the exact itinerary I wanted (and ITA Software made it much easier to search out the perfect one) I was able to ask for and get it.
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That's It for Now
I'm off to Scotland on Thursday for our new Scottish Highlands hiking trip. Jan is leaving for Umbria and then staying on to guide the Amalfi trip. Deb will be out on the Lodge to Lodge trip. October looks even busier!
We still have spaces on a few fall trips (look at the Trip Calendar to see what's available). Registrations for 2012 are strong and in fact we have already added a second Paddling with Manatees trip. We hope that September brings more rain to the places that need it, less rain to the places that have too much of it, and crisp fall weather to all of us! -- Marian, for all the guides at Adventures in Good Company
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