Hawaiian Airlines Adds Fee for First Bag

Hawaiian Airlines is now charging $ 15. for your first bag, on flights from the mainland to Hawaii.
It may just be a start to a long list of other fees and airlines hiking prices, but this one really caught me off guard! The FIRST bag you check will cost you... not a second, or heavy, or over-sized. We all know that our economy is in the tank, and who wants to pay for more airline bail outs? So I guess we will just get used to more of the same 'nickle and dimeing', and getting less for what we pay for.
So, when you start planning for that much needed Hawaiian get away, do your shopping, and be sure to pack your own snacks, you will need it! Oh- but make sure not to pack fresh produce, it will be taken away at the agriculture check point.
Aloha! have a wonderful trip!

My Most Embarrassing Hawaiian Moment

We have all had them... embarrassing moments, when we would like to pull up a rock, and crawl under! Nobody wants them to happen while staying in the romantic Hawaiian Islands though, are you kidding me? So here is how it all happened ( cue goofy music)
We headed out for a drive, on the island of Kauai. As we reached the end of the road at Ke'e Beach, we decided we would take a look up the Kalalau Trail. The adventure began when I started noticing it getting pretty steep, but undaunted, and up for the task, I soldiered on. It got muddy, and slippery, I in my crocs, got a bit wobbly, but still, hung in well. We made it to the summit where you could see the most breathtaking views of the Napali coast. We decided after seeing people covered with mud on their backsides, that we would not proceed down the trail to the rest of the sites,hey we had reached the top, and I was stoked! So, giddy as a schoolgirl,and challenging my husband admittedly, descending the trail at a faster clip than him. Gravity and tree roots were conspiring against me, as the roots reached up, grabbed my feet, and I went flying to the ground below, hitting what must have been every rock and limb I could find, because it knocked me out. My husband said he was talking to me, but I didn't remember anything until halfway down the trail. So many folks were checking on how I was doing.?? It is a very popular trail, so many people hike it, if you are going to fall and bleed, don't do it there! I have to admit, I am always up for adventure, I have a lively sense of it, but the person who vacations with me must have even more!

The trail is very worth traversing, and as I said, very popular. Should you decide to skip it, the Beach is also wonderful there, but be advised, it is also very busy, and parking gets crazy. Arrive early if you plan on spending much time there.

Summer Travel- Watch Those Price Hikes!

How we all long for the good Old days of .55 cents per gallon gas, and full service travel. It seems we will never pass that way again. If you aren't prepared to pay some hidden fees, you may not be doing much on your vacation besides sitting on the beach with your own store bought sodas. Oil hikes have caused price hikes everywhere, so to make up for the extra outlay, airlines have found every way they can pass the added costs to you.

*[1. Fees for booking over the phone.
There's an easy way to wean travelers off the comfort of booking flights through a live ticket agent. Charge them extra for the convenience, and change your rules often enough that your personnel aren't always sure of them in the first place. In April, Delta increased the cost of booking directly with a Delta representative from $20 to $25. Also, Delta SkyMile holders booking a flight on a partnering airline over the phone are now charged a $25 handling fee.

The bottom line: If you need to call an airline for more information or to work out a tricky itinerary, always ask if the flights your agent recommends can be booked online. If you are registered in an airline's frequent flier program, research the requirements for its platinum program. Many fees can be avoided if you gain preferred status.

2. Second Bags and Oversize Luggage.
Need extra motivation to slim down your packing? That extra bag (or that extra big bag) will cost you. Several airlines in the U.S. now charge passengers $25 each way for checking a second piece of luggage. Jet Blue will begin charging travelers $20 to check a second bag starting June 1. Don't pack your one "freebie" suitcase to the brim either; if its weight nudges above 50 pounds, many airlines will charge you an oversize baggage fee. You'll be charged $50 on Continental, US Airways, Northwest, and American Airlines for bags between 51lbs and 70lbs; for that same weight range Delta charges $80.

The bottom line: Packing light can save you money and time. By ruthlessly downsizing your usual load, you may find you can even get everything into a single carry-on, which guarantees that your luggage will arrive when you do. Chronic overpackers should invest in space-saving packing devices like the packing cubes

3. Seat "Upgrades" in Coach
The roomy emergency row seats were the first coach seats awarded special status (and special pricetags). Now airlines have gone so far as to identify other select seats that travelers are willing to pay extra for, including seats in the first few rows, aisle seats, and window seats. For instance, US Airway's Choice Seats program asks travelers to opt for "premium" seats 24 hours before their scheduled flight (up to 90 minutes before the flight's scheduled departure) for an added fee starting at $5. These seat selections make up roughly 8% of coach's total capacity. Do you value leg room above all else? Jet Blue's Even More Legroom seating, offered on select routes and planes, offers 4 more inches of space for charges running from $10-20 each way.

The bottom line: This is a good thing for last-minute ticket purchasers who might otherwise be relegated to coach's remaining dregs, but planners who typically grab these better seats well in advance might resent having to ante up. Being an elite member of the airline's loyalty program helps. On US Airways, for instance, Dividend Miles Preferred members do not pay an additional fee and can grab one of these choice seats right when they book their flight.



4. Fees, Taxes, and the Fine Print
When comparing the price quotes of flights on various sites, you may occasionally notice that some sites offer quotes that are noticeably lower than the rest. Often the price quote is the base fare before the taxes and fees that other sites include in their quotes up front. These fees can vary widely; airport charges, known as Passenger Facility Charges, can vary from $3-$18. Security fees, the federal segment fee, the Travel Facilities Tax, and international fees can all also significantly affect your final cost.

The bottom line: Keep those surcharges in check. When reviewing flight options, keep in mind that the cheapest option might be to purchase the flight directly from the airline. Some travel search engines add a non-refundable service fee to their fare offerings.

5. Standby Fees
A free convenience that many travelers once took for granted, flying standby, now carries a cost on several major airlines. Many airlines have recently rolled out new "confirmed" standby programs that allow travelers to opt for an earlier (or later) flight without the uncertainty and inconvenience of waiting at the airport. Piece of a mind and a confirmed seat are the upside for travelers in a jam, but if you happen to be at the gate of the flight prior to yours already, the decision to pay a surplus fee to board a plane with empty seats might seem unfair. American Airlines now offers a same-day confirmed flight change at the cost of $25, but travelers can also opt to test their luck the old-fashioned way without paying the fee. United has not added fees for standby. Both Northwest and Delta's new policies deny customers traveling on non-refundable tickets the option to go standby for free.

The bottom line: There are exceptions to every rule. Like the other fees mentioned here, many airlines will drop standby fees for participants of their loyalty programs. You may also find that a friendly attitude on your part goes far with a sympathetic gate agent---so take a deep breath and smile.]

*[info from Fodor's Website ]end

You are now equipped with foreknowledge, now you need to think about how to get that money back! You can't get it back from the Airlines, but you can look for the bargains everywhere else. This takes planning,preparation,strategy and getting online. If you don't have a AAA card for travel, get a membership! it isn't expensive, and you would be surprised how many places you save with that little piece of plastic!
Look for promotional deals, don't get duped into the big "package deal" unless you can compare it's components together against one you- yourself can put together. We look into the Vacation Rentals, get a condo for a couple weeks or so, saving a bundle of money! The condos have pools, some maid service, some amenities, full kitchens etc.

Buy fruit and veggies at the stands, and farmers markets, eat some picnics, We don't spend allot, we do save quite a bit this way, besides, it is being more like a traveler, rather than a tourist!

Flintstone Graffiti

When you go to the big Island you will see miles on miles of lava rock. What is striking to the untrained eye, or newbie tourist, is the "white stuff" along the roadsides, in what seems to be "memos" - it's Flintstone Graffiti! You see it everywhere! It is like on Kauai, all you see are chickens and roosters. Oh as an aside, look out for mountain goats while you're driving as well. Someone told me that if you take the coral rocks from someone else's message to compile your own, you will be cursed... so be forewarned. I did it, but nothing bad happened, so I guess I was just a stupid tourist, like the person who told me that. Have fun making messages in the rocks or in the sand, just be sure to get it on camera, and keep it in your heart.

Fibromyalgia, and Why I feel better in Hawaii

First,what is Fibromyalgia? and Why am I including this on a travel blog? You would be surprised how many people take trips to warmer climates during the winter months. The Snowbirds of the Eastern Seaboard flock to Florida to escape the winter cold for a good reason. People with Autoimmune diseases like Fibromyalgia do much better in warmer weather. But upon closer examination, it is much more than just the climate.

Let me answer my first question,"Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men." *The Mayo Clinic*

It is autoimmune as I said, without getting too technical, it's all about brain chemistry, the adrenal glands not wanting to shut off, flooding your body with cortisol, which then builds up lactic acid in your muscle tissues. This is what causes pain in a runner,cyclist, or weight trainer, after they have exerted themselves. This muscular pain is a regular occurrence for those of us who have "fibro".

What makes Hawaii a great place to go? First, the warm, humid air helps relax the body.
The sun Important to us, as we need it to get much needed vitamin D which is necessary for our bones,and mood, and early menopause being associated with FMS, do take advantage of the sunshine!

Exercise is key to our feeling well. With joint pain, and muscle pain, I have found one of the best things to get me exercising is snorkeling! I lay on the beach, and warm up, get out into the water, and swim and kick for an hour or more!The beautiful fish keep me so captivated, I hardly notice I am getting exercise! ( USE SUNSCREEN)

Now here is the REAL EXCITING DISCOVERY ! I was given a book recently, called The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health Christopher Vassey,N.D. The pH of your blood will be what it should be when you eat more alkalizing foods. I always noticed how great I felt overall in Hawaii. We always eat as much tropical fruit as we can get, which you guessed it! Alkalizing! Also, fish oils (we eat so much fish), coconut, greens, veggies, all of which we eat plenty of while on the Islands, all alkalizing! Kelp,& Seaweed- we eat allot of sushi on the Islands,Hawaii's sushi is some of the best outside of Japan! The markets have these "NORI Snacks" Little seaweed squares I love!All this to say, that when our pH is correct, by eating the right foods, our blood is oxygenated properly, circulation is better, our muscles feel better, we are detoxed eventually, if we put all the best things into action, good foods, deep breathing good clean air, drink plenty water, exercise, and sunshine .

This is why we feel so much better when we go to the Islands, and oh, there is also that thing called the Aloha spirit you are greeted with too!

ATA Airlines Joins the Bankruptcy Boneyard

The news was on while I was painting this morning. I couldn't believe it, another Airline down. What struck me so hard, was the story as told by this news service based in San Francisco. They were at the Airport, no surprise, and as they interviewed folks who were there to catch a plane that would never show up, they told the news service that they were on their way to Hawaii; the trip they had planned and had prepared for over the course of one year. The Airline folded at 4 a.m. that morning. Can you imagine that feeling? Being so excited to join your church group, in one woman's case,in Hawaii, You have it all dialed in, you get to the airport to find the Airline decides to take it's marbles and go home? The economy is not in any shape to do any bailing out at this point, so who knows how many we will see going bankrupt in the future.One could argue that it has good points and bad. The control towers have been too overrun, and it has been dangerous on the runways, and on ascent and descent, so fewer is better in that case. Fewer on the other hand means that there will be less competition, thus the fares will likely go up. It isn't GOOD in any case for these airlines to go down...busy controllers or not. Let's just hope someone stops the bleeding And SOON!

Eco-Adventures And The Islands

There are many adventures to be found on the Islands, many of which call themselves Eco-Adventures. It is that very word that makes it important for you to do your best to look at the website to see what they are saying about what they offer. If for instance, it is saying that they will use ATV's to go see wildlife, one has to wonder if they are in touch with what the term means. One thing we noticed as Northern Californian's the first time we visited Hawaii, was the lack of recycling, Green Energy use, or programs teaching the tourists about how they should respect the beautiful land they have been blessed to live in. Instead, we observed an overwhelming amount of scrap cars on the roadsides, (rusting) plastic bags caught in the sugar cane, and garbage in the gutters.
It has improved since then, Maui has implemented recycling, and wind power programs that I know of, and we saw more canvas bags being used.
But back to Adventures: The ones to look for will put some of the proceeds towards saving the local wildlife, teaching conservation,and also support environmental and cultural education. Maui's Zipline Tours for instance, have some conservation instruction with the bonus of great fun. I am working on a list of places to go, so I won't address it now, but when you look on line for an adventure to go on, try to find ones that are responsible about the environment, and the wildlife there.
I suppose there are many people who get a kick out of swimming with the Dolphins, Sea Turtles etc. No problem, I just hate to see people grabbing them. They should be respected, and observed, not touched. The reef should not be stood upon, the reef fish shouldn't be fed, these are just things I see when in Hawaii, that I wish there were more awareness about. If you have any comments, PLEASE let me hear what you think!

http://sailhawaii.com/

Aloha Airlines Goes Bankrupt

The News must have hit like a tsunami when the residents of Hawaii heard the news of the airline closure. This will affect 1,900 employees, most of them from Hawaii. This is a major blow to the local economy which is reliant largely upon a healthy tourism business. The news services are saying this is a new trend they are seeing with airlines, the cost of running their operations is getting out of control, and believe it or not, the profit margins on each flight are very small to begin with.
Many passengers will miss Aloha's extra touches, like their warm chocolate chip cookies and milk served right after the movie, as well as their many inter-island flights which were available.
I personally, found them slightly disorganized compared to Hawaiian Airlines, who will be adding flights for a time, and until April 3, honoring Aloha tickets to help passengers who are currently traveling. United Airlines is honoring the tickets as well,GoAir is handling added inter-island flights-please refer to the news articles.
After sixty years, it is 'Aloha' to passenger service for Aloha Air... But there are still many ways to get to the islands, and our friends there need a bit of cheering up about now! Go say Aloha to our wonderful brothers and sisters in paradise!

Kona Brewing Company

If you haven't been to Hawaii yet, and plan a trip, don't skip out on Kona Brewing Company
Koko Marina Center
7192 kalaniana'ole Highway
Honolulu, Hawaii 96825
808-394-5660
Mon- Sun 11am 11 pm

Brewery
kailua Kona
75-5629 Kuakini Hwy.
kailua Kona Hawaii 96740

808-334-2739
Sun - Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri & Sat 11am - 11pm

The Reason you want to go to the Brewery, or one of their Pubs, is that you will get the freshest experience, and the only shot at some of the beers unique only to those
locations. You are able to order "sampler flights" of their specialty beers, and limited releases. The thing that is very apparent when you are experiencing the flavors there, is they are so fresh,being just brewed, and not having been transported, or bottled. The passion fruit in the Wailua Wheat for instance, is so bright and crisp. When you drink it Bottled, it has lost the true essence of the Lilikoi! The LAVAMAN Red Ale I have yet to see anywhere else, well, It was Amazing! They also have another Porter, BLACK SAND PORTER I have not tried, but love the heavy dark beers, my husband is more a fan of the lighter ones, and they have IPA, Blonde, and Pale Ales to suit his taste.
My all time favorite is PIPELINE PORTER with it's Kona coffee infusion... It is like a Guinness, but a bit sweeter, and finishes with a delicious coffee finish. At the Brewpub, they serve the sampler/tasters just a bit warmer than the beers they serve,so you can get the complex flavors and aromas of each. The servers are trained to talk about each beer, so that you have a well educated experience, and can walk away a FAN of the brews, searching them out where you live when you get home! Brilliant!
I have bad news and good news: The Pipeline Porter which was on tap and on shelves
(or actually off because of being sold out)
Is gone until October. The Good news: Wailua Wheat comes out in April!
The food at their Pubs is pretty good too, Pizza's mostly, but sandwiches and salads abound as well. Wherever you are, if they serve KONA Brewing Company... Try a Pint!

Mai Tai ~'VIC' (of Trader Vic's) Sets the Record Straight.

This is an article in it's entirety taken in full contex from: http://www.tradervics.com/
Posted here on my blog as a "reposting" to bring a light to an interesting thing debated about as to where the Mai Tai came from...








by Victor J. "Trader Vic" Bergeron
San Francisco 1970

"Earlier this year, a long time friend from Tahiti, Carrie Guild (now Mrs. Howard Wright), sent me a column from a Honolulu newspaper which once again has raised the argument over where the Mai Tai was born and who originated it.

I originated the Mai Tai and have put together a bit of the background on the evolution of this drink, which has earned worldwide identification and acceptance. There has been a lot of conversation over the beginning of this drink. Many have claimed credit, including Harry Owens. The people who now own Trader Vic's in Honolulu (which at this time has no connection with the Trader Vic operations on the mainland) claimed it was originated in Tahiti .... This aggravates my ulcer completely. The drink was never introduced by me in Tahiti except informally through our good friends, Eastham and Carrie Guild.

In 1944, after success with several exotic rum drinks, I felt a new drink was needed. I thought about all the really successful drinks; martinis, manhattans, daiquiris .... All basically simple drinks.

I was at the service bar in my Oakland restaurant. I took down a bottle of 17-year-old rum. It was J. Wray Nephew from Jamaica; surprisingly golden in color, medium bodied, but with the rich pungent flavor particular to the Jamaican blends. The flavor of this great rum wasn't meant to be overpowered with heavy additions of fruit juices and flavorings. I took a fresh lime, added some orange curacao from Holland, a dash of Rock Candy Syrup, and a dollop of French Orgeat, for its subtle almond flavor. A generous amount of shaved ice and vigorous shaking by hand produced the marriage I was after. Half the lime shell went in for color ... I stuck in a branch of fresh mint and gave two of them to Ham and Carrie Guild, friends from Tahiti, who were there that night. Carrie took one sip and said, "Mai Tai - Roa Ae". In Tahitian this means "Out of This World - The Best". Well, that was that. I named the drink "Mai Tai".

This drink enjoyed great acceptance over the next few years in California and in Seattle when we opened Trader Vic's there in 1948. In 1953 the Mai Tai was brought by me to the Hawaiian Islands, when I was asked by the Matson Steamship Lines to formalize drinks for the bars at their Royal Hawaiian, Moana and Surfrider Hotels. Any old Kamaaina can tell you about this drink and of its rapid spread throughout the islands.

In 1954 we further introduced the Mai Tai when we included it among other new drinks in bar service for the American President Lines. It is estimated that several thousand Mai Tais are served daily in Honolulu alone, and we sell many more than that daily in our eighteen Trader Vic's restaurants throughout the world. I have let Eddie Sherman, the columnist on the above mentioned Honolulu Star Bulletin, know who originated this drink and think it is time the general public knows that these are the facts of the evolution and growth of the Mai Tai.

In fairness to myself and to a truly great drink, I hope you will agree when I say, "Let's get the record straight on the Mai Tai".

THE ORIGINAL FORMULA
The rum which motivated the creation of the Mai Tai was a fine, golden, medium-bodied Jamaican from Kingston. Trader Vic added fresh lime juice, flavored and sweetened it with Orange Curacao from Holland and French Orgeat with its subtle flavor of almond. The drink chilled nicely with a considerable amount of shaved ice so a large 15-ounce glass was selected to compliment the cooling and generous quality of the Mai Tai.

The success of the Mai Tai and its acceptance soon caused the 17-year-old rum to become unavailable, so it was substituted with the same fine rum with 15 years aging which maintained the outstanding quality.

THE MAI TAI GOES HAWAIIAN
During the early 1950's Trader Vic took the Mai Tai to Honolulu while creating drinks for the Matson Line Hotels. He introduced ten exotic drinks in the Royal Hawaiian's bar. The Mai Tai caught on and within 30 days everyone had forgotten the other nine. The supply of 15-year-old rum was becoming less than dependable so several other Caribbean products were tested for the same high qualities of flavor. Red Heart and Coruba were selected to be used in equal quantities along with the original 15-year-old to stretch the supply and maintain the character of the Mai Tai.

A few years earlier the supply of quality French Orgeat had also become uncertain so Henry Smith, who produced vitamins for the Galen Company in Oakland, collaborated with Trader Vic to produce and bottle his own Orgeat.

The mid 1950's signaled the end of a dependable supply of the 15-year-old J. Wray Nephew Rum. This fact as well as problems with consistent quality in the other Jamaican London Dock Rums caused Trader Vic to make private arrangements, in the interest of high quality, to blend and bottle a Jamaican rum under his own label and control. Consistent quality was maintained in both a 15- and 8-year aging. This rum, though excellent, didn't exactly match the end flavor of the original 17-year old product. This desired nutty and snappy flavor was added by the use of a Martinique rum. During this period Trader Vic had also changed the original Orange Curacao to one produced by Bols which was more to his liking. The popularity of the Mai Tai demanded that production on the bars be streamlined. Each individual bar was instructed to pre-mix the Curacao, Orgeat and Rock Candy Syrup in appropriate amounts.

By the early 1960's there were several Trader Vic's restaurants. The Mai Tai had developed into one of the most known and ordered drinks throughout the world and many people expressed interest in being able to make the Mai Tai at home.

Trader's son, Victor J. (Joe) Bergeron III, was developing a constantly expanding variety of items from the Food Products Company. With this dynamic facility and the increasing market Trader Vic decided to produce and bottle a total Mai Tai rum and also a Mai Tai flavoring mix under the Trader Vic label. This was to be for restaurant use and also for retail sale. This rum was made to recapture the characteristics of the original 17-year-old rum. First he skillfully blended Jamaican rums and then added Martinique rum for its elusive and wonderful nutlike flavor and a bit of light Virgin Island rum for the smoothness of body. This combination became the Trader Vic Mai Tai rum as we know it today. The public palate had become more sophisticated and it became necessary to adjust the sweetness of the Mai Tai by lessening the amount of Mai Tai Mix and adding a touch more lime juice".


THE ORIGINAL FORMULA

2 ounces 17-year-old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum
1/2 ounce French Garnier Orgeat
1/2 ounce Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao
1/4 ounce Rock Candy Syrup
juice from one fresh lime

Hand shake and garnish with half of the lime shell inside the drink and float a sprig of fresh mint at the edge of the glass.

FIRST ADJUSTED
MAI TAI FORMULA

1 ounce 15-year old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican Rum
1 ounce Coruba or Red Heart Jamaican Rum
1/2 ounce Trader Vic Formula Orgeat
1/2 ounce Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao
1/4 ounce Rock Candy Syrup
juice from one fresh lime

Mix and serve as in the original formula.

SECOND ADJUSTED
MAI TAI FORMULA

1 ounce Trader Vic's Jamaican Rum (15- or 8-year old)
1 ounce Martinique Rum (St. James or Trader Vic's)
1 ounce pre-mixed Curacao, Orgeat and Rock Candy Syrup
juice from one fresh lime

Mix and serve as in the original formula.

PRESENT DAY FORMULA
OF THE MAI TAI

2 ounces fine dark rum
4 ounces Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix
juice of one large lime




Call us toll free at 1-877-7-MAI-TAI (1-877-762-4824) or email us at info@tradervics.com