We didn’t visit this restaurant as I heard the prices are outrageous. And while we were there, this structure was covered with scaffolding.
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Beautiful Pacific Coast … we’re talking about taking the kids out West to explore this area soon! I actually bought this card at the LA airport in hopes of mailing it to my kids, but I couldn’t find a mailbox anywhere.
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Also from Maria
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From my sister Maria when she came from New Zealand for the launch of her book!
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Dateline: Wednesday, 5:15 pm PST
Location: Terminal 2, Gate 25, Los Angeles International Airport
Sitting on the floor by a really LOOSE, jiggy plug, charging my laptop and the DS powerpack
We board in 1.5 hours and depart in 2.25, over the Pacific to Auckland, New Zealand!
First let me say that this little bit of LA I see is gorgeous. The sky is blue-blue-blue, the kind of blue I thought only existed in the North Carolina mountains. Against this blue are green, green, green palms. Tall palms. Not the kind you see in Florida. And the air is crisp and fresh–it helped that it was cool outside, only 55 degrees when we landed.
I’ve always wondered if the air “smells” different in different places. I know the air around my home in North Carolina does not smell like the air around my home in Florida–the latter being worse by far. And while others have told me that the air in other places really doesn’t “smell” any different, I have to disagree. The air here SMELLS clean and a little bit ocean-y. It’s crisp and fresh. It’s a mix of Florida AND North Carolina! If earthquakes weren’t in the equation, I might want to move here.
At the very least, I’d like to bring the kids out here to explore the coast. They’d love the plane ride … up, up, up … seeing the clouds and the Grand Canyon (on the right side of the plane!) … seeing the Rocky Mountains … down, down, down … seeing Los Angeles. They’d love it … and so would I!
Here are a few key observations so far.
1. Airport food is EXPENSIVE.
$11 for a hamburger?
$5 for an orange juice?
Man, we should have eaten at McDonalds 🙂
2. You can’t bring drinks in past security. I bought a few water bottles in Charlotte and had to toss them, unopened, to get to the gate here at LAX.
3. Find another way to kill germs besides washing hands. My hands are raw and red and hurting. And it doesn’t help that I have to carry this awful laptop bag. Note to self–sell laptop bag on ebay upon return.
4. You don’t have to find an “official” source to buy Internet access … just sign in to whatever unsecured network you find. Chances are, it’s a network that allows you to buy access. I thought I had to buy access “somewhere” but couldn’t figure out where (no help desks that I could see). In desperation, I tried to connect and wound up at a T-mobile hotspot page where I could buy a pass! So I wasted lots of time doing nothing when I could have been connected. Bummer, but lesson learned.
5. I LOVE traveling! It’s not just about the destination, although that’s pretty wild, too! I love the journey just as much. The airports … the people … the ride … eating out … the expectation … the newness of everything!
I think I was born to travel. I hope this is the first of many far-flung journeys. And, hopefully, with my husband and ALL of the kids, too!
I’ll write my next blog on the Air NZ flight but I won’t be able to post it until after I arrive. I’ll also post photos when I can.
Stay tuned!
The Happy Laptop Traveler 🙂
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February 11, 2009
Wednesday 10:15 EST
Somewhere in the air over Nashville, TN
We’re on our way! After not much sleep last night at La Quinta Inn in Charlotte (five hours), we caught a shuttle to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. I would have preferred to stay at Hyatt Place; we stayed a night at the Hyatt Place in Charlotte before our Amtrak trip to Washington, D.C. It’s a beautiful hotel – artsy and techy, very cozy, very clean. But Hyatt Place wanted in excess of $120 a night – and I couldn’t see paying that at all.
Research led me to La Quinta, which had pretty good reviews, with many people saying they’d stay again or recommend La Quinta to family and friends. The room cost $60 for the night, with free airport shuttle service and free continental breakfast with hot waffles. The hotel was clean, the room was clean, the people were friendly. So we enjoyed our stay and would stay again.
Airport security did not go as smoothly as I hoped, even though we arrived plenty early and didn’t have to wait in line. What went wrong? I’m not sure. I just feel like we had too much stuff. Take off the jacket. Take off the Baggallini document pouch. Take out the 3-1-1 bag with our toiletries for the flight to New Zealand. Take off the shoes. Oh—and please take your laptop out of your new “TSA approved easy checkpoint laptop bag.” That was a bummer, too.
So we get through ok, but then it’s a hassle having to get “dressed” again and repack stuff. Matthew isn’t wearing slip on shoes either, so that added to the hassle.
In the airport, I find myself already wishing that I had brought rolling carry-on luggage as Matthew complained that his back hurt before we even reached our gate! His backpack is not overstuffed, but it weighted in at nine pounds. So that’s probably pretty heavy for him. Mine feels heavy, too—and it’s awkward to wear because I have to take it on and off so much when sitting down and getting up. I looked for one of those folding metal carts in the airport shop by our gate, but they didn’t have one. I’ll look at LAX—if they’re affordable, I’ll probably get one to pull our backpacks—and my laptop case—around.
Speaking of the laptop case, you might remember that I purchased a new one for this trip—a Skooba laptop skin, supposedly TSA approved. But that’s not really why I bought it. I bought it so my laptop could count as a “personal item” on the Air New Zealand flight as I’m also carrying the backpack.
BUT—I don’t like the Skooba bag at all. The handles are not comfortable for carrying a laptop for long periods. My hands were hurting just from carrying it in Charlotte. So hopefully I’ll find a folding carrier to help me cart all this stuff around in LA.
The flight has been perfect so far! We’re cruising t 35,000 feet and the ride is
smooth. I feared feeling claustrophobic but they’ve got air blasting through the cabin so I really feel pretty good! The food cart is coming by now … water at $2 a bottle. I loaded up at the airport, buying two bagel sandwiches, water, soda, pretzels and a treat 🙂 It cost an arm and a leg, but I expected the food to be costly.
Oh—one other thing. I booked an aisle seat for me (and a middle seat for Matthew) because of the potential for claustrophobia. But that’s not a concern at all. So once we’re in LA and I’m hooked up to a network again I’ll try to get us new seats—with a window for Matthew–for the way home. He doesn’t seem to notice though—he’s busy playing with his Nintendo DS!
As for me, I’m going to close up the laptop … put my tray up and my seat back (if the people behind me aren’t eating) … and try to read or snooze. If that doesn’t work, I’ll listen to some tunes instead 🙂
I’ll check back again soon.
Happy travels!
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If one person screws up, it’s a mistake. If two separate people, on two separate occasions, screw up, it’s a conspiracy. Right?
You tell me me: is it a lie, or is it a conspiracy, or is it just untrained people?
If you’ve been reading this blog, you probably already know that just days ago I purchased a new Blackberry Storm from Verizon. I had been wanting one for a very long time. And when I recently learned that I could upgrade to a Blackberry Storm with Verizon Internet and e-mail access for another $30 a month, I was sold. I had thought it would cost much more than that.
While I was purchasing online at the Verizon Web site, a Verizon representative connected with me via LiveChat. So I was able to ask questions as they arose–very cool. One of the questions that occured to me while purchasing: “I’ll be traveling to New Zealand next week. Will it cost me extra to call my family in the states from New Zealand if I have this phone?” The Verizon representative said, “No, it’s a global phone so there are no extra charges.”
I told my husband this; he scoffed. So I asked the Verizon rep again: “My husband is certain that per-minute charges will apply if I call my family from New Zealand or if they call me.” The Verizon LiveChat agent said he would check. Soon, he typed, “No, no extra charges for any calls made between Verizon phones.”
WOW! My youngest daughter, who has been very unhappy that I’m leaving, would be thrilled to know that now, with my new phone and Verizon wireless service, she could call me anytime and I could call her. I wouldn’t be locked in to having to connect over a landline. Plus–I’d have Web and e-mail access all the time! Sweet!
After I closed the deal, hubby was still concerned. So I asked him to call Verizon on the phone to triple check. He did. The Verizon representative he spoke with ALSO said the same thing — no charges for calls between our two Verizon phones, even if I’m in New Zealand. My husband was shocked, but we were very pleased. This really cemented my decision to get this phone at this time. I made the right choice, or so it seemed.
When the phone arrived, I was looking through Verizon’s “Global Support” paperwork, which tells you the steps you need to take before traveling and what to do when you’re overseas. One of the steps said to make sure we have an appropropriate Verizon “global calling plan.” It said, “Dial *611 to confirm your plan.” So, I figured, it’s a free call … let me just follow these steps to the “T.”
And guess what?!? This Verizon representative tells me, sorry, it will cost me $1.99 A MINUTE to make or receive calls while in New Zealand!
I replied, “I’ve been duped.” The Verizon rep had nothing to say.
Then I told my daughter the news, and the tears began to flow. She had been feeling a bit better about the trip knowing that she could call me whenever she wanted–as long as it wasn’t in the wee hours New Zealand time.
So now I wonder if I’ll even be able to access the Internet and my e-mail for free.
I won’t get any real answers until Monday. The last Verizon representative recommended I call the Verizon Global Sales team to see what they could do for me. Buyer beware: just because you hear the same “facts” from Verizon representatives THREE TIMES, it still may not be true.
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The countdown clock is ticking to Wednesday, the day my son and I leave for Auckland, New Zealand!
All gear and new stuff has arrived:
1. Eagle Creek travel pillows from BackCountry.com (purple for me, slate blue for my son)
2. Coolmax travel blanket from BaseGear.com (one boring color but roomy!)
3. Baggallini ticket organizer/wallet from Amazon.com (black so as not to stand out)
4. Panasonic portable waterpik from Amazon.com (can’t live without my waterpik!)
5. Skooba skin laptop sleeve from CSN Stores (in the lovely shade of plum you see here)
6. Blackberry Storm from Verizon (love the phone, but ticked at Verizon, a story for another post)
Not to mention various other goods and sundries that I either bought or already had: books for reading on the plane, earphones for my Creative Zen mp3 player, sleep mask, earplugs, mini-toiletries to use before disembarking in New Zealand so as not to offend (toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrush, wipes, etc.).All of this stuff plus my camera will go into a carry-on backpack. I will also carry on my laptop in its very thin sleeve—the thin sleeve means it counts as a “small personal item” in lieu of my purse.I’ll actually pack my traveling purse in a checked bag. For the trip, I’ll carry my passport, license, boarding passes and money goods close to my chest, under my vest, in my new super thin Baggallini travel wallet.
We actually leave Tuesday, after the kids get out of school.After we pick them up, we’ll all drive over to Charlotte (two hours away) where I’ve reserved a hotel room for the night.Then, after a family dinner, hubby and kids will drop me and Matthew off at the hotel.We’ll catch a free hotel shuttle to the airport in the morning in plenty of time for our 9:45 am flight to Los Angeles.
We’ll arrive in LA around 3:30 EST, 12:30 PST.And we’ll have to hang out at the airport until 10:30 pm EST, 7:30 pm PST, when our Air New Zealand flight takes wing over the Pacific!If we’re able to check our bags in LA shortly after we arrive, then we may venture out of the airport—maybe head over to the famed “In-n-Out Burger” nearby.Maybe we’ll get a hotel room for the day.Or, maybe we’ll just hang out at the airport.My son has his Nintendo DS.I have my Blackberry and laptop.
Anyway, I think I’m more nervous now than excited.The HUGENESS of this trip is starting to hit me.I’ll miss my husband and kids terribly.But … I’m going DOWN UNDER!Auckland, New Zealand!Where it’s summertime! I’ll touch my toes in the Tasman Sea and experience the roaring surf of a black sand beach … and try mutton and fall in love with the accent … and see what their commercials are like … and their newspaper ads … and their radio stations … and their people and culture and land!How exciting!I hope this is just the first of many, many adventures!
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Well folks, after drooling over smart phones with Web and e-mail capability for a while, I finally bit the bullet and got myself a Blackberry Storm. It will arrive tomorrow–I can’t wait! What can I do with this new gadget? Plenty! 
- Check my e-mail from anywhere, with the unlimited Web / e-mail plan from Verizon
- Access the Web from anywhere
- Review and (mildly) edit Microsoft documents from anywhere
- Shoot photos and videos
- Talk on the phone
- Listen to music
- MORE!
The phone itself cost $99 with a two-year contract. And the unlimited Web and e-mail access adds just $30 a month to my existing Verizon cell phone plan. And even better, I can use this phone to access the Web and Internet while I’m in New Zealand for no extra charge. I can also talk to my husband and anyone else on the Verizon network — no extra charge! This is excellent, as it means I am not tethered to a physical location to be able to speak to my family while I’m away. Speaking of away, in one week from today at about this time I will be arriving at Los Angeles International Airport to await the evening flight to New Zealand. Our passports arrived on Monday. New gadgets and travel gear are en-route. So we’re all set! 
And speaking of travel gear, I’d like to give a SHOUTOUT to BackCountry.com for their unheard-of customer service. I ordered two travel pillows from them on Sunday based on a statement on their site that said “Most orders shipped within 24 hours.” I also paid priority mail fees just to be sure. Then today, Wednesday, I get a notice that says my order just shipped. Will it get here in time?!? So I headed over to www.backcountry.com and engaged one of their people through the LiveChat system. And guess what? They offered to ship me two more pillows, with 3-day UPS shipping–ON THEM–and also send me a label so I could send the first order back when they get here. Now how awesome is that??? They didn’t have to do this as their site clearly says, “MOST orders ship within 24 hours,” not that ALL orders ship. So they could have said, “Sorry Charlie. Hope you get them on time” and left it like that. I somewhat expected it. So I was pleasantly and happily surprised by their offer! And I will tell everyone I know about the good folks at www.backcountry.com! Stay tuned for more updates, including reviews of the travel gear and accessories I purchased. I’ll tell you what worked and what didn’t … what I loved and what I hated. Hopefully it’s all good news, otherwise I’ve wasted my money! 🙂
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Today was the start of our New Zealand adventure, as today we trucked down to the Hendersonville post office to apply for our passports. We leave three weeks from today, so the timeliness of this appointment is critical.
I have to tell you something. I’m somewhat of a perfectionist. I like for things to go smoothly, without bumps, lumps or unforeseen events. So, to prepare for this mission-critical appointment, I printed out the passport instructions and read the fine print with a pen in hand, checking off that I had all the exact information required:
–Birth certificate with full name. Check.
–With parents’ names. Check.
–With gender. Check.
–With a raised stamp or seal. Check.
Shoot, my birth certificate went one better (or so I thought). It even had my baby footprints, my mother’s thumbprints, and a big, beautiful golden seal on it!
And on the back are instructions to keep this precious document safe, as it is proof of identity for, among other things, a PASSPORT.
I was set, for sure.
So we arrive for our appointment 10 minutes early. Being the type-A personality that I am, punctuality is important to me, too. But it is obviously not as important for the government workforce, as we learned while sitting there waiting and waiting in a large, barren hallway in front of a closed door. On the door was a peephole; I guess so they could make sure we weren’t burglars trying to get passports? There was also a sign next to the door: “DO NOT ENTER. RING BELL FOR SERVICE.”
So we rang the bell. And nothing happened. We rang it once again. Nothing. So then we noticed we still had three minutes to go before our appointment time–you know how government workers won’t ever open early, not a chance. So we sat there until a little after 1:00 and rang the bell again. Still nothing. I figured we had an appointment so we’d just wait for someone; they must be running late.
Meanwhile, another postal worker came out of that mysterious door, jangling keys. We got a glimpse of the darkened room before she shut the door–since it was dark we knew no one was in there. She mumbled something. My husband thought she said someone would be with us; I thought she was talking to herself.
Finally, at 1:15 the door to the passport portal swung open, a friendly face invited us in. We weren’t there for five minutes when she gave me the bad news: “You’re going to have to get a certified copy of your birth certificate; this document issued by the hospital won’t work.” Now remember, I’m pretty anal. I knew the importance of getting this done at this appointment as the appointments are booked for a week in advance. “Can you show me where it says this on the instructions?” I gurgled. I was trying not to cry. Imagine, a 40-something year old woman crying in the passport office. In front of her husband and child. “Not gonna do it.”
So she read me the instructions and, sure enough, there it was: a statement that said the certificate had to have a FILING date on it. How could I have missed it? So I choked back my tears and asked, lips quivering, “Can we still get this done in time?” She told me all my options, and I started feeling a bit better when I realized that we WOULD get the passport in time, even if it cost me tons of $$, even if I had to drive to Asheville, even if I had to get our congressional representative involved. It could be done.
In the meantime, she told me, go back home and look through your papers to see if your mother gave you anything else. She said she’d squeeze me in again this afternoon if I found it. I wasn’t hopeful. But I figured I’d get the passport one way or another, so I could relax a bit. My son and I had our mug shots taken. His passport application was paid for and out the door.
When we got home, I rushed to the envelope holding my childhood papers. And there, right on top, was a green slip of paper from the Pennsylvania office of vital statistics–just the paper I needed for my passport! It hardly looked the part: smallish, with my name and birthday handwritten in, issued in 1974, and with an almost invisible seal stamped into the paper. My big, beautiful TYPED certificate with the lovely golden seal and foot prints issued just days after my birth surely declare with more authority that I was born!
But not according to the Department of State.
I went right back to the post office and, after just a short wait, swore that the information on my application was true, paid my fees, and was out the door.
Lesson learned: read EVERY JOT AND TITTLE when you’re talking about official government documents. Even better, call in advance to see if thus and such a document will work.
Another lesson: sometimes even your best efforts at doing everything just right aren’t enough. And the only one holding it against you might just be you.
Stay tuned for the ongoing adventures of our first-time international travel to New Zealand!
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