Yes, I Paid For A Checked Bag

About 5 year ago, airlines were desperate to raise revenue in the face of fuel prices. In this desperation, some airline executive came up with the idea to start charging for the 1st checked bag. For decades, the 1st checked bag was included in the price of your ticket.

Since I have started flying more often, I have avoided paying for a checked bag. Either I flew an airline like Southwest Airlines that still does not charge for checking baggage, used an airline credit card to purchase my ticket that gave me a free bag or stuffed all my clothes into a carry-on bag. I was determined to do anything possible to avoid giving the airline more money.

Well last night, I finally lost and gave $25 to check a bag on my United flight. My family graciously gifted me tons of clothes and gear for my upcoming trip to Antarctica. These gifts made it difficult to travel home with a checked bag. I need these clothes in a few months time, so they needed to come home to DC with me.

My options of getting this gear to DC were limited:

• A few months ago, I cancelled my Chase United card eliminating my ability to get a free check bag. 
• I don't have elite status with United ie no free checked ag
• Southwest would have been free, but 3+ hour trip home after landing
• Sending by postal was not an ideal option. I dreaded finding a proper sized box, packing my stuff up, driving to the postal office, waiting in line at the post office, paying $X, waiting a week for my package to arrive at my office, and dragging it home after work one day.    

Therefore, United got $25 out of me. Sometimes, you just have to pay the man!


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Lonely Planet's Top Destinations for 2014

Lonely Planet's is out with their top destinations for 2014. The list is created based upon "scores for topicality, excitement and the special x-factor", as determined by the in-house experts and outside writers.

The Top 10 Countries to Visit:

      1. Brazil

       2. Antarctica

     3.  Scotland

      4.  Sweden 

  

       5.  Malawi 

     

        6.  Mexico

      7.  Seychelles

        

     

      8.  Belgium

     9. Macedonia

     10. Malaysia

If that's not enough, here is the list of the Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2014:

Top 10 cities for 2014 

1. Paris 
2. Trinidad 
3. Cape Town 
4. Riga 
5. Zurich 
6. Shanghai 
7. Vancouver 
8. Chicago 
9. Adelaide 
10. Auckland

Which places make your top 10 list for 2014?

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730 Days Left!!!!

Today is my 28th birthday! Today, also, leaves me 730 days left to accomplish my big travel goal: travel to seven continents in business class by May 2015.

As of today, I have hit four continents: North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Leaving South America,Australia and Antarctica. My plan is to visit South America in the fall. Next year, hit Australia or New Zealand; leaving Antarctica for January or February 2015.

Today, I add a new goal: visit all 50 States before the age of 40. In typically JD fashion, to count a state as visited, I must stay 3 nights in the state. The 3 nights don't have to be consecutive, but I do need to put my head on a pillow, rock or bench to count.

Below is a map of the states that I have visited and those I have not. The states colored in Red are ones that I have stayed 3+ nights in, the states colored in Green are ones that I have stayed 2+ nights, and all the rest are calling my name. So far I have visit 17 states: 10 for more than 3+ days.


Accomplishing 20% of my goal with 12 years left is a good start. As you can see, I need to visit middle America. Sad to say, I have treated it as fly-over country. Looking down from the plane wondering what is down there. Today, I make my promise to you, middle America...I am coming to visit!
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Antarctica: The Last Frontier

I have written many times of traveling to all 7 continents in business class by my 30th birthday. I turn the Big 30 in May 2015. To achieve my goal, I will need to head to the world's last frontier.

That is why I was shocked and saddened by this Yahoo article about tourism in Antarctica.

According to the article, 35,000 visitors visited Antarctica for tourism reasons, last year. That number is down from the height of 48,000 visitors in the 1980s, and up from 27,000 in 2011-2012.  Getting to Antarctica can only be done by boat or flight. For more information, go to the website of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.

However, trips to Antarctica are no longer sightseeing excursions. The article says, "now people want to go paragliding, waterskiing, diving or a variety of other things."  The result of the increased tourism on the ecological system is unknown. However, "the United Nations' shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, barred the use of heavy fuel oil below 60 degrees latitude south in 2011." This binding rule hurt the cruise industry by limiting the size of the ships going to the continent. Further proposed rules would further limit the size of ships touring around Antarctica to those with less than 500 passengers.

Why does this mean for me? Nothing really except that the trip is going to cost me more money than expected. Small cruise ships = more money. Points will only get me so far on this trip. Good thing that I have started my Antarctica fund, a little bit each paycheck. 

T-minus 26 months until the BIG 3 0!

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