International Travel Bootcamp at Chicago Seminars 2015 by Rapid Travel Chai

International Travel Bootcamp
Chicago Seminars 2015
Stefan Krasowski
Rapid Travel Chai

Itinerary
Planning
Tips
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

Who Am I?
I lived in China for 8 years
I work in international business
I plan obsessively
I travel fast
I come back exhausted
My wife is the opposite

Where Have I Traveled?
139 UN Countries
210 Travelers Century Club Countries

My Dream Trip
My Wife’s

I Started the Morning in
Namibia’s Etosha National Park

I Flew WDH-JNB-JFK

Picked Up Mail, Did the Laundry and Dishes,
Kissed my Wife

Flew EWR-ORD and am
Having Happy Hour with You

That’s the Magic of this Hobby

What Matters to You?
The flight?
The hotel?
The destination?
The people?
The food?
What else?

Planning

Where to Go?
Explore outside your social media bubble
Consider offbeat and offseason
Yamamoto’s Bunker,
East New Britain,
Papua New Guinea

Where to Go – UNESCO Sites
Jesuit missions and German yerba mate farmers, Paraguay

Where to Go – Travelers Century Club
Anne of Green Gables & lobster suppers,
Prince Edward Island, Canada

Thorn Tree Forum for Destinations

What About Trip Advisor?
I use it sparingly, such as hotel wifi/shuttle/parking info

What to Do When You’re There?
Avoid the yet another cathedral slog
What is truly distinctive about a destination?
You don’t go to Easter Island for the diving

A Bit About Elite Status
Carry frequent flyer cards (e.g. for Star Alliance lounges)
Expect Airlines to treat you well
Expect hotels to stiff you, especially in Europe
Expect rental car status to be (nearly) useless
The Club Carlson Europe
Nespresso Room Upgrade

Air – Research
Wikipedia’s airport and airline pages

Air – Passes
If you think awards are confusing and frustrating…

Air – Booking
Find flights on ITA Matrix
Locate booking options on Google Fights or Hipmunk

Air – Budget Airlines
skyscanner.com and
whichbudget.com
Price all the extras
Know the airport –
where in ‘London’?
Know the terminal –
Malaysian remote LCCTs

Air – Obscure Airlines
OneTravel for hard to ticket airlines
Get reservation record AND ticket number

Air – Points for Cash and Earn Miles
Citi ThankYou and US Bank FlexPerks cover many airlines
Get AA codeshares on Citi for Prestige 1.6 cents/point

Air – China Flights
Global sites only price full-fare tickets
China sites price discounts: ctrip, eLong, travelzen
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Expedia $212 eLong $111

Some Offbeat Star Alliance Awards
Copa in Latin America
Ethiopian around Africa (not currently on united.com)
Turkish flies to more countries than any airline, 100+
United now partners with Azul for Brazil

Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

United Micronesia Island Hopper
Join missionaries, military, dignitaries and islanders

Palau and Peleliu

Some Offbeat One World Awards
Avios, Avios, Avios – fill in gaps on itineraries
Use for Canada, South America, Africa, Indian Ocean,
Australia, Pacific and Russia
Example: Sri Lankan several daily flights to Maldives

Always Check Non-Alliance Partners, Too
+

Some Offbeat SkyTeam Awards
AeroMexico for Latin America and even to Europe/Asia
Gol in Brazil and to Brazil from Orlando
Air France + Kenya Airways to Madagascar and Indian Ocean
China Eastern/Southern + China Airlines to Asia
Virgin Australia to Solomons, Christmas & Cocos Islands
Saudia for Middle East

Lemurs in Madagascar

Thin Red Line in Solomon Islands

Air France KLM Caribbean Hopper
Visit Caribbean on the way to Europe
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have hoppers, too

Dominican Republic and Haiti

French Guiana and Suriname

Complex Air Awards
Study Travelisfree.com for routing rules – tomorrow at 5:15

Rail – Where?
East Asia and Europe
Overnight trains save time, save hotel

Rail – How?
Advance web bookings can be difficult and deceptive
Multiple stations in cities
Use Man in Seat 61 and Deutsche Bahn websites
Rail Europe $131 SCNF $81

Rail – Passes
Compare & cost pass options and alternative transport
May need to purchase before arrival
Swiss Pass 2nd Class is $298 for 4 days – yikes!

Bus – Where?
‘Executivo’ business class services in South America

Bus – Tips
Beware the near empty bus that is ‘leaving soon’
Your stuff will be either with you or with someone else
Prepare for heat, prepare for cold

Taxis - Tips
Beware taxis hanging out at hotels
If the locals use radio taxis, you should too
Taxis for day trips vs guides

Taxis – India
India’s airport prepaid taxis:
Cheap and safe
Book before exiting the airport!

Driving
Exhilarating or stressful?
Driving on the left is surprisingly easy
International Driving Permit (IDP) is an annual pain
Cheapest way to see Europe?

Rental Cars – Booking
Booking sites often ‘location not found’/’sold out’
Try rental agency websites
Try AutoEurope (not just for Europe) and BJ’s Travel

Rental Cars – Gotchas
Riga, Latvia:
$43 to pick up at 8 pm!
Ayers Rock:
$0.23 per km
after 100km!

Rental Cars – Free Days
Hertz awards in 16 markets
National/Enterprise awards in ≈ 17 markets
Watch out for massive taxes

Rental Cars – Insurance
Many Chase and Citi cards now cover ALL countries –
get certificate of coverage (Ireland, Israel)
Insurance often mandatory, sometimes included in rate:
• Canada rates include liability
• Mexico/Central America require adding liability
• Basic CDW included in Europe – Supercover enhances
• Temporary licenses (Caribbean, Kuwait)

Hotels - Don’t Stress Over All the Options
Good or Bad Hotels They May Be, They’re All in Paris

Booking.com & Hotels.com for Local Hotels

It Doesn’t Need to a Competition to
Find a Bed We Enjoy
Hotel Casablanca, Dominican Republic, $50

Quirky – Hotel Braavo, Tallinn, Estonia $38

B&Bs Across US & Canada
Knox’s Dam B&B, Prince Edward Island, $90, now retired

Casa Particulars in Cuba
Be treated like a grandchild for a day

Ranches in Argentina & Uruguay
Estancia Finca Pedra, Uruguay, off-season $65

Ryokan in Japan
Dinner in Bed, Tokiwa Bekkan, Kinosaki Onsen, $200

Hotel Awards
Consider Carlson, IHG, Choice Hotels
International locations often much better than US
Holiday Inn Shanghai
Pudong Executive Lounge
Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai

Hotels Have Partners Too

Alternatives of All Kinds

Tips

US Passports
Get the large passport book (last call for extra pages)
Get a passport card for land & sea & backup ID
Enroll in Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI and
add to airline profiles for TSA PreCheck
Have scans and copies

Second US Passports
Great for frequent travelers who need visas
Easy process
Only valid for two years

Visa Requirements for US Citizens
166 countries Visa Free or Visa on Arrival
Sources: Henley & Partners, Wikipedia

Visas for US Citizens
Check embassy websites and travel.state.gov – things change
10-year China and India, 3-year Russia tourist visas
Must pay Argentina reciprocity fee online in advance
Yes, you need a visa for Australia

Money – Cash
When have you heard, “Sorry, we don’t accept cash”
Traveler’s checks are dead
Carry a cheat sheet or app for fx rates
Schwab debit card – no fx fee + ATM reimbursements
Avoid anything Travelex!!!

Money – Credit Cards
Logo in the window may only mean local cards
Chip and Signature cards work most of the time
Chip and Pin cards for heavy EU travelers (Barclay Arrival+)

Handy Credit Card Benefits
Chase & Citi – trip delay coverage
Citi Prestige Priority Pass – includes family or 2 guests
Discover – accepted in China via UnionPay, Japan via JCB

Tech
Unlocked phone + local SIM card
T-Mobile – unlimited data & text to 120+ countries
Encrypt your laptop
Get a VPN

Apps
“Is it better than Google Maps?” test
Know what features are available offline

Insurance
Insure yourself, your trip, or your stuff?
Credit cards often insure
your trip and your stuff
I insure myself – GeoBlue
Trekker Choice annual plan
Annual or per trip?
insubuy.com,
travelinsurancecenter.com

Health
CDC Yellow Book @ cdc.gov/travel
Know scientific names of your meds
(aspirin = acetylsalicylic acid)
Plan ahead for vaccines
Malaria pills pros and cons
International Certificate of Vaccination

Yellow Fever
Source: CDC Yellow Book 2014

Safety
Don’t be:
Drunk
Drugged
Debauched
Especially when you
don’t speak the
language or know the
legal system
The Rapid Travel Chai ‘3 Ds’ of Travel Safety

Luggage
Backpack = maximum flexibility, bag never leaves you
Wheeled = less flexibility, more comfort
Backpack/wheeled convertible = bad at both

Packing
Unless going to the moon, you are not going to the moon
onebag.com packing strategy

Join Me Tomorrow
at 2:30 for
101 Tips, Tricks and Hacks to
be an Expert Traveler

Thank You
stefan@rapidtravelchai.com
@rapidtravelchai
rapidtravelchai.com

International Travel Bootcamp at Chicago Seminars 2015 by Rapid Travel Chai

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