Saying Goodbye to A Friend

Saying goodbye to a friend is never easy. Especially someone who you have become close to for about 10 years. A friend that has travel the world with you to Europe, Africa, Asia and South America with me. Who am I talking about? My passport!

For Thanksgiving in 2012, I wrote that I am thankful for what the passport stands for: being an American. The truth is that I am thankful for my passport. This combination of cardboard and paper opened the world to me. When I applied for the passport in August 2004, I had never left the United States. I applied for the passport for an upcoming Spring Break trip to London, which never happened. Never in my wildest dreams did I think 10 years later would I have visited Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. 2 continents shy of my goal of visiting all 7 by the age of 30.

Over the past 10 years, my passport has become one of my closest friends. Many of the trips I have taken have been solo. The only thing that has been with me on every trip has been my passport. Its been with me on every trip in my pocket, in my pouch across my chest, or under the airplane seat. I lose it all the time on the airplane. My recent trip to Canada will be my last with this passport. Its time to get it renewed. :(

Here is a quick look of every country that left a mark in my passport:

• Belgium - August 2005
• France - September 2005
• Ireland -September 2005
• Scotland - October 2005
• Italy - October 2005
• Switzerland - October 2005
• Cyprus -November 2005
• Austria - November 2005
• Serbia - November 2005
• Bosnia Herzegovina - November 2005
• Croatia - November 2005
• England - March 2006
• Spain - February 2009
• Canada - August 2010
• Germany - February 2012
• Burkina Faso - February 2012
• Niger - February 2012
• Mali - February 2012
• Portugal - February 2012
• Japan - December 2012
• Argentina - November 2013
• Canada - March 2014
• United States - to many times

I have traveled to many more countries, but within Europe travel between countries results in no stamps. Regardless, in 10 years, I think I did pretty well traveling the world part time.

Well good friend, its been nice knowing you. Enjoy retirement.

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Canada & Mexico To Open More Direct Routes

The Toronto Star is reporting that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in Mexico City with a plan to open up more direct airline routes between Canada and Mexico. 

Sergio Alcocer Martinez, Mexico’s undersecretary for North America, said "the new air agreement would greatly expand the current one between the two countries, which is more than 50 years old. It would allow more direct Mexican flights to Canadian cities, beyond the current routes to Montreal and Toronto."

For Mexico to give greater access to Canadian Airlines, the Mexicans are going to want something in return. That something is the lifting of requirement that Mexicans get a visa for entry into Canada. The visa requirement was added in 2009 to combat an increase in "bogus asylum seekers."

The lack of direct flights from Mexico to Canada was a shock to me. A few months ago, I was trying to connect a trip from Mexico City to a visit with a friend in Calgary. However, there are no direct flights between the two. My only option was to do a connection in Dallas, Phoenix or Vancouver etc.:

Each of these trips take 8+ hours or a full business day. 

Carlo Dade, director of the Centre for Trade and Investment Policy at the Canada West Foundation put it correctly.  “If I have to make two connections to get down to Mexico, am I really going to do that deal? Am I going to open a plant? Am I going to schedule business meetings? It’s a pain and has an impact on business.”

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What I'll Be Doing On This Snow Day

As everyone has heard, a snow storm has hit the East Coast. For once, we have a snow day WITH snow. I could write about how to protect yourself from travel cancellations (wrote about that here) or about jaunts to warm destinations.

View From My Apartment Balcony

Since I am stuck at home, not really Metro is running, so I could go somewhere, I feel like I need to get some long-standing tasks done. Here are 10 things I hope to accomplish today:

1) Complete Federal Taxes (Maybe use this offer)

2) Book March Trip to Canada (looking at you United Miles)

3) Finish Hotel Confidential Reports (don't know about Hotel Confidential, see here)

4) Pack for this weekend (Get Away to the Mountains)

5) Research Australia // New Zealand Trip (I doubt I even do this today)

6) Research 15 Ways to Earn Hilton Points (upcoming series)

7) Complete eRewards or Opinion Miles Club -  (I should earn some miles today, somehow)

8) Write a post on my secret love, Swagbucks.

9) Verify I have all my credit cards - I feel like I may be missing 1 or 2. I tend to leave them at bars

10) Drink??? Yes, best thing to do on a snow day is drink and I have this baby waiting for me:

Will I get all 10 items done? Probably not, but its better to have a list than sit in front of the TV waiting for midnight. Why Midnight? The release of Season 2 of this baby begins:

Happy Snow Day!
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