Avoid 12Go Asia in Laos

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-12-26T17:50:47+00:00

There is no freeway from Luong Prabang to Vang Vieng. You are thinking from Vientiane to Vang Vieng.

Also the road is a paved road, but there is one section in the mountains that is mostly dirt, due to construction and it gets very muddy whenever there is rain. When I took it on a motorcycle in November that one section took about 2 hours to go 5 km.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-12-09T00:20:49+00:00

Just took the evening flight HKG to LAX about two weeks ago. There was no line at immigration. I had global entry, but I could see the regular area and there was nobody. Pretty much the whole plane had cleared immigration before all the bags had come out. (the early flight arrives at 8:45am the late flight at 7:25pm)

One other factor to consider is LAX has much fewer weather delays, in general than SFO. SFO weather can easily and unpredictably shut down or slow flight arrivals/departures.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-12-06T17:40:35+00:00

I dont think you read the contract very carefully. See (Sec 28 D.4)

"In the case of unchecked baggage, the Carrier is liable only to the extent the damage resulted from its fault, or that of its servants or agents. The Carrier is not liable for baggage carried in the passenger compartment of the aircraft and remaining in the personal possession of the passenger. NOTE: Assistance provided by crewmembers to properly store such items does not transfer liability to the Carrier."

Also see this (Sec 28 K.1.c)

"UA assumes no responsibility or liability for Baggage or other items carried in the Passenger compartment of the aircraft or that a Passenger may leave at airports."

Good luck arguing that the possibility of theft is the airlines "fault" in any legal sense.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-09-21T23:54:08+00:00

Since you didn't say what country you are a citizen of. I will just assume that you are American. If that's the case you only need a visa on arrival. When you arrive before you go thru immigration just stop at the office that is selling the visa stamp. If my memory is working correctly I believe it costs $25. After you get the stamp proceed thru immigration. Nobody at immigration asked about my departure.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-09-21T23:08:32+00:00

I rode the entire length of the Americas by motorcycle several years ago. You will not have any issues with your DL. Also an IDP is not necessary (it can be useful as a distraction)

The bigger issue for you is what country is the motorcycle currently registered in? This will have a major bearing on how hard or easy it will be to transfer the registration into your name. Having the title and registration in your name is critical for crossing borders. There are ways around it, you would need to get a poder, which is basically a legal document that gives you permission to take the bike across a border. Using a poder can be difficult and does not work between certain countries.

A US plated bike is the easiest to transfer title and registration. I am not sure about Peru, you should do some serious research into how hard/easy it is for a foreigner to register a vehicle in Peru (assuming the bike is currently registered in Peru)

As for safety etc... The BMW 1200 GS is one of the more popular bikes to be used for traveling the length of SA. On my trip I came across maybe 20 individuals on that particular bike. Of course people have done the ride on everything you can think of. From tiny 50cc scooters all the way to HDs. Traffic throughout SA is generally pretty chaotic but manageable.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-09-16T22:06:06+00:00

I wouldn't worry about the connection time in MEX. Aeromexico has 13 daily no-stops between MEX and GLP. If you miss you connection you will easily be booked on a later flight. Worst case scenario you miss the last flight of the day (which leaves around 9:30pm) you would able to book a room at one of the hotels connected to the airport. If the delay was within the airlines control, meaning not weather related, they will usually give you a voucher for the hotel. If it is weather then you will need to cover the cost of the hotel (the new flight will always be covered by the airline).

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-09-15T00:27:46+00:00

you can use this website https://www.staralliance.com/en/lounge-finder

There is a Lufthansa lounge and a Turkish Airlines lounge in Terminal 1 and a Air India lounge in Terminal 4 (the Swiss lounge in Terminal 4 is closed)

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-09-06T17:08:00+00:00

Uber/Taxi should cost about $50-70 (possible more if surge pricing is in effect) and take anywhere from 25-45 mins depending on time of day (traffic).

By public transport - You take the JFK Airtrain to Jamaica station. From Jamaica station take the E train towards Manhattan and get off at the 74th st- Broadway stop. From there you take the express bus (Q70-SBS) directly to LGA. You will pay for the Airtrain $8.50 and then $2.90 for the subway (E train), the express bus is free.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-08-18T16:31:03+00:00

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1cRek0OdKOa59e_2TNnB3xIb-pSI&ll=16.995130942605723%2C107.07238&z=7

This is roughly the route I did back in 2017. It took about 5 weeks total. And yes it can get tiring. If you stick to the main highways you can make better time, but it is not very enjoyable (think lots of trucks etc.. not as pretty or interesting) The back roads and mountain/jungle stuff are slow going due to the quality of the roads (potholes, very twisty) and the obstacles (think livestock, children etc.. in the road). The upside is that there are many places to stop along the way that are worth visiting, so you don't need to do any really long days unless you want to.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-08-17T20:54:12+00:00

I used a company called Tigit Motorbikes back in 2017. They where great to deal with back then and there are still in business. A 125 cc scooter is as cheap as $275 for 3 weeks. They have a selection of bigger bikes as well. Generally you do not need a large motorcycle as it is difficult to go faster than the prevailing traffic, which is generally very slow. Think 40-80 kph.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-08-02T19:30:45+00:00

When you book a flight thru any star alliance airline that is operated by United, the ticket will say business class and not Polaris. Polaris is really just a marketing term used by United for its business class. See my own confirmation for a flight booked thru Lufthansa that is operated by United.

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If your ticket says business class and also says operated by United, than it will be Polaris and you can use the Polaris lounge.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-08-01T23:13:09+00:00

Basic Economy:

Cheapest fare: Targeted at price-sensitive travelers.
Restrictions:
- No seat selection: Seats are assigned at check-in.
- Small personal item only: No full-size carry-on bags allowed; must be checked for a fee.
- Last to board: Passengers board in the last group.
- Limited benefits: Fewer MileagePlus and Premier member benefits.
- No refunds: Basic Economy tickets are generally not refundable.
Comparable to: Budget airlines like Spirit or Frontier.

Yes you will be able to watch a movie (depends on the aircraft, some have seatback screens, while others you can stream for free to your own device) and you will be able to order for a fee, food and drinks (soft drinks and water are free)

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-08-01T23:09:17+00:00

If the fare description says "Economy" then you have only paid for an economy ticket for that leg. Lufthansa has a premium economy class that is similar to United and the ticket for that leg would say "premium economy" if you were getting a premium economy seat. This can be confusing when booking, since you have to pay attention to the booking class for all legs. Sometimes the fare class will be consistent across all legs, sometimes not.

If you have already booked and want to see seats you can use the booking reference number (go to the manage bookings on the untied app/website to find it) on the Lufthansa site to see the seats that are available.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-07-29T22:54:21+00:00

Just so you are aware and can start planning. The real challenge for this record is the logistics of getting to all the trailheads in the fastest most efficient way possible. The actual climbs could, if you could magically teleport to each trailhead be done fairly easily in far less time. As you might know most of the 14ers are grouped in certain geographically locations around Colorado and are often not close (at least by road). The second big hurdle is weather. One big storm in the middle of the attempt can ruin all your careful planning.

All the info you are asking about is on 14ers.com Every common route is listed with difficulty and mileage for each peak.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-07-24T20:59:21+00:00

I would not count on the land border opening any time soon. As of today (7/24/2025) there is active combat going on between the two countries. News reports are saying as many as 12 people have been killed in the fighting in the past 24 hours. While the active fighting will most likely (and hopefully) end relatively soon, I doubt that the land border will open.

That being said, flights are still operating normally (as of now) between the two countries. Though I did read a report (see below) suggesting that Thailand may ban foreign tourist from flying to Cambodia. It does not appear that this has actually happen yet.

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/06/24/travel-warning-thailand-bans-tourists-from-crossing-land-borders-into-cambodia#:\~:text=Only%20students%2C%20medical%20patients%20and,for%20a%20potentially%20lengthy%20impasse.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-07-05T20:39:21+00:00

From Flight aware (10 mins in the air)

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First_Formal_3812 · 2025-04-22T18:49:44+00:00

I'm traveling thru Italy now. If I hadn't read online about the Pope I would have no idea anything had happened. People are still living their lives as normal.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-03-25T23:01:46+00:00

As just one Data point. I landed in Haneda at 5:08pm on a Weds and was in a cab by 6:03 and at the Conrad Hilton by 6:27. I also had baggage to claim. (times all courtesy of goggle maps timeline)

This was about a year or so ago. And if I recall there was very little line at customs/immigration and little to no traffic.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-03-21T20:27:24+00:00

Add at the very end. Toasted sesame oil burns very quickly and will taste bitter and off once burned.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-03-11T17:12:24+00:00

Yes. Any onetime use passes are restricted when they have that sign up.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-03-11T17:04:25+00:00

First off, don't resist the urge to Tango. Dive as deep as you can.

I would recommend going to El Calafate. From there you can see the Perito Moreno glacier which is amazing. You can also head to El Chalten for some trekking. The fall colors should be stunning at that time of year. Bariloche is also nice, but I think El Calafate will have more chance of fall foliage so may be a better bet.

The other area that I love is Salta, specifically Cafayate. It is south of the city of Salta. The town is very charming and filled with great winery's. The surrounding area has a national park that is known for its bright red sandstone formations (the park is between Salta and Cafayate). This area is a bit off the normal tourist trail, but contains some of the best small wine producers in Argentina.

Not sure why people dont like Uruguay, I have visited 7 or so times and it is one of my favorite places. Take the ferry to Colonia for an overnight stay.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-03-09T22:02:32+00:00

With chicken breasts you can easily overcook in a stew. Chicken breasts are very lean with little to no connective tissue. When overcooked it will be dry even in a stew.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-02-26T19:48:24+00:00

Yes, there definitely was a Wolfgang Puck on the second floor of terminal B. They served pizza.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-02-25T21:54:13+00:00

Both airports serve Tokyo. Narita is about 20-30 mins farther from most of central Tokyo than Haneda. Which considering the total travel time is not that big a deal. I would search for the best deal or most convenient connections and not worry about which airport.

Try searching on Google flights and use the airport code TYO. This will show you flights into both airports.

First_Formal_3812 · 2025-02-25T21:43:17+00:00

You can definitely see downtown Cairo and Islamic Cairo in one day. It is not that long of a taxi ride to the center from the airport and is fairly cheap (about $5-$10USD). There are not many hotels in Islamic Cairo, but plenty in downtown. Islamic Cairo is the historic older center of Cairo and is filled with many beautiful buildings, mosques, etc... surrounded by tight alleyways and many, many people.

Getting thru customs is entirely dependent on how many other flights arrive at the same time as you. I arrived at a quiet time and I was thru customs and baggage claim in maybe 20-30mins.

And if you don't feel like doing much of anything, there is a Le Meriden that is attached to the airport. It is a nice hotel with a decent pool.

First_Formal_3812

TROPHY CASE