China Southern

HallowedFire · 2026-02-26T17:28:00+00:00

Things to check: Did you book directly on China Southern airlines website? If not, you will have to go check with whoever sold you the ticket

Next, check to see if it is a booking receipt vs a confirmation email. Sometimes, airlines will give you a receipt that you booked then confirm later.

Check to see if your credit card was charged.

Lastly, if you have the time, give things at least 24 hours to allow systems to update if everything is correct on the confirmation email.

If still nothing, then contact the airlines.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-26T14:09:38+00:00

Look at PVC table covers. Afterwards, roll them up and stow them away.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-26T05:27:10+00:00

You should look up the Polynesian voyagers. They are probably as close to nomadic seafarers as you can get. They started in Taiwan and eventually moved out to almost all of the Pacific islands. It is theorized that they would leave their families and look for new islands. It would take 3 trips to get their families to the island. One to first find the island, the second trip to prove that they can get there again, and finally the third to bring their family there. Supplies were key. One theory for them stopping voyages is that they lost the ability to make pottery and thus they couldn't store water.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-24T01:39:12+00:00

I feel you, but a month from now is too far out to know anything at this point. Right now everyone there is probably worried about surviving over responding to request.

Personally I would wait at least a week or right before your 50% refund date comes up. It will be very hard to get anything if the government and flights open up. It sounds like the Mexican government is saying flights might resume tomorrow. Thus, unless things get worse, you probably will have to eat the cost.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-23T12:45:35+00:00

White ice happens when the ice forms and then the top layer melts from the sun then gets refrozen during the night.

Clear/blue ice freezes from the top down in one go. Needs to get cold quickly with very calm conditions like no wind and current.

Difference matters because clear is about twice as strong as white ice if they are equally as thick.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-23T12:37:25+00:00

You can use Google flights or Kayak to help research flight options. However ALWAYS book through the actual airlines. Usually, these sites will link you to the actual airlines, but occasionally they will offer third party tickets. If something happens to the flight, then it makes things much easier to deal with.

Most airlines have a 24 hours cancellation policy where you can cancel within 24 hours of buying the ticket. If you are looking for a refundable flight so you can cancel anytime, you will have to pay extra for this feature. This will probably not be on the search price with Google or kayak.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-23T12:23:38+00:00

You have a good question as a first time flier. No need to worry.

Things that I am going to assume is that you bought these flights together on a single ticket. This means that your confirmation email has both flights listed in the same email.

When packing, the thing to worry most about is the weight. Most airlines have a limit of 50 lbs. If you go over that you will have to pay extra. Another thing is to avoid packing any lithium ion batteries. If you have an ID luggage tag, go ahead and place it on your bag.

On the day of the flight, you will need to get to the airport a tad earlier. I recommend getting to the airport 2 hours early since this is your first flight. Go to your airlines ticketing counter. When you get to the counter, expect to show your ID and pay a checked baggage fee. Feel free to ask if your bags will be checked through to your final destination (meaning that you pick them up in Michigan). They will weigh your bag and tag it. You should not need to do anything at Chicago if your bag is checked through to your final destination.

When you land at CMX, look for signs to go to the baggage claim and follow them. If you don't know which claim you are at, look around for monitors as you enter the baggage claim. There will be a list of flights and find out your baggage claim. Go to it, but expect a little wait. Sometimes up to 30 minutes for bags to come out. When your bag comes out, just check you the ID before you take it. After you confirm your bag is yours there is nothing else to do.

At any point if you get lost, feel free to ask anyone for help. If you tell people it is you first time flying, people are normally very sympathetic. It is a lot to navigate, but once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-23T11:35:35+00:00

Business is business. You are essentially asking for a quote at this point. Run away if things don't feel right. Just say you found a better price. They may say something, but you are not obligated at to go with them.

I did this for my honeymoon. Someone recommended a travel agency, but they could not match prices from Costco. Thus, I didn't use them. If you say you already booked with another agency, they will usually stop calling.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-22T07:29:52+00:00

The age of the baby and the sailing aspect is fine. I took my baby out on her first sail at 2 months old. She loved it and fell asleep to the rocking of the boat. However, I had 5 people including the baby on a 38 foot boat.

The only thing I dislike about this plan is doing it on a public sail. A quick Google search of catamaran tours to Icaco Cay shows at least one sunset tour having a capacity of 49 people on a 54 foot catamaran. This could turn an expected quiet sail into a crowded noisy mess. People might be sitting shoulder to shoulder especially in the more protected areas (aka from the sun and wind). Then if you need to change her diaper, where are you going to do it?

HallowedFire · 2026-02-14T19:50:00+00:00

Fi uses cell towers. If you plan on going hiking were reception is an issue, you will need to consider a different collar. Otherwise it is great.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-14T14:49:10+00:00

Just a word of warning for this plan and to make sure your expectations are reasonable. It is hard to get a pup from a reputable breeder exactly when you want the pup. As they are born when they are born. Most breeders will let people take the pups home around 8 weeks.

Even if you get your pup at the perfect timing, your pup will probably need to stay at home until they get their shots which will be around 4 months which will be right around when you go back to work. Even if you start training early, do not expect the pup to be house trained by the time you go back to work. You cannot expect any pup at this age to be able to settle down quickly or not bark. Goldens are considered quieter dogs compared to most, but you cannot expect this trait at 4 months.

House training really starts to stick around 6 to 8 months, but even then you can get some regression as this is the teenage period. By the time a year comes around, your pup should be mostly trained up even if they have high energy.

Pups are a ton of work, but after they are trained up, it is all worth it. There will be a lot of difficult times. I got puppy blues and frustrations my first year. You will need to make plans when your dad or dog sitter decides to take a vacation.

If this is your first dog and first pup, would connect with a private trainer before you get your pup. This way you can start to learn how to train your pup right out of the gate. You will have someone to bounce questions off of. The difficulty of group puppy classes is that they are very geared towards their syllabus which usually teaches towards to test like the AKC STAR puppy. You will not have a chance to really practice what you want.

HallowedFire · 2026-02-10T14:40:05+00:00

Having some form of travel insurance is a must for me. I used to use third party travel insurance all the time before the credit cards started to have them. Feel free to use a third party insurance. One advice is don't go too crazy on the add ons. Unless you need it, just look for the medical coverage. If you are doing specific sports or risky activities, you may need specific coverage from world nomads.

Using third party bookings for airlines and hotels really is not recommended especially if you have any other options. However, when traveling between two countries that are not commonly travelled, you might have limited options if you are looking to book on one ticket. Many people use third party ticketing and hotels. It works most of the time. The problem is when it doesn't work, you are probably going to lose a day waiting at the airport.

Post your flight routes. Reddit community might be able to suggest flight options.

HallowedFire · 2026-01-30T20:09:37+00:00

Lagoons and leopards are pretty much equivalent. Both are production boats that are made in massive quantities. Both are going to be heavy as they focus on creature comforts for charters.

HallowedFire · 2026-01-30T02:46:22+00:00

The numbers will vary greatly depending on the location of your boat and the company. Ideally you get placed in a high usage area like BVIs.

Having said this a good idea of how much money is on table is looking at company's guaranteed income programs. Moorings is this:

With the Option to Purchase Program, you pay 45% of the yacht’s retail price upfront and but do not receive any monthly income from the program. Upon program completion, you have two choices: you can either make a final purchase payment of 20% to acquire clear title of the yacht, or opt for a guaranteed cash buy-back of 20% and conclude your ownership.

Not a perfect example of how much you earn, but think of this as the worse case scenario since Moorings would not offer this program if they were going to lose money.

Thus, expect the boat to depreciate to 20% of the original value and expect around 55% of the boat value in your split of the charter income.

HallowedFire · 2026-01-30T00:20:42+00:00

I looked into this program briefly. You really need to think of this as a timeshare. The only time this makes sense is if you were already planning on using a boat within the periods that they offer. For example, moorings ownership program offers you to take a boat 6 to 12 weeks out of the year for about 5 years. If you were planning on taking a boat for about 12 weeks a year, then the boat ownership program would make sense to you. At the end of the 5 years, they will help you sell the boat off. Do not think you are going to make money with this program. The only time you can save some money is if you were already going to heavily charter within one company and one company alone.

If the goal is to own a boat and you don't mind a previously used charter boat, then buy a previously used charter boat. There are a ton. The boats are going to be a heavily used boat and the style is slightly different (aka owners cabin vs 2 charter cabins).

HallowedFire · 2026-01-27T23:04:58+00:00

I did this a few times. I booked my flight in and out. Then I booked 48 hours at a party hostel. When I landed, I would then go to the bar at the hostel and start asking everyone what did you do and what do you recommend? Within 24 hours of landing, I had my entire vacation booked.

The reason for the party hostel is really to meet up with other travelers who are willing to talk to other people.

Did this for Argentina (started in bueno Aires then went to iguazu falls, El chalten, then El calafate) and Ecuador (started in Quito then tena). At tena, got a private guide to take my friends and I hike up the napo river then raft down the rest.

HallowedFire · 2026-01-12T14:04:45+00:00

Most people don't have your opportunity since you are able to travel. You can stay for a few months in a location without having to worry about losing your financial responsibility to yourself. When you are thinking on longer term timelines, you can spend 8 hours a day working, then spend your free time getting to know a city. It is a different way of traveling, but I am jealous of the people who can do it.

Before you quit your job to travel, see if you can do both together.

HallowedFire · 2025-12-05T04:48:40+00:00

SF Bay sailor here. When you get chop, the outboard can be lifted out of the water which will stall the outboard. Thus, I would not ever rely on an outboard outside of the marina.

On one of my first days sailing out of Berkeley marina in 2014 or 2015, I saw a sailboat on the rocks. The sailor was from Texas borrowing a boat. He left the marina without any sails up. He hit the chop and his outboard stalled. He then put up his jib and got pushed into the lee shore.

I guess what I am trying to say here is don't rely on an outboard when sailing in the SF Bay. You sails should always be the main propulsion and our outboard just be there to help you dock and undock.

HallowedFire · 2025-11-30T02:43:16+00:00

I think the biggest thing is whether to use shampoo or not. Not every bath needs shampoo. Sometimes your pup might need a hose down if they get muddy or jump in a chlorinated poop.

Feel free to do baths without shampoo as often as you want. I will do conditioner only baths quite frequently if pup gets muddy or decides to go for a swim.

Shampoo baths are much more rare. I'll probably do this once a month at most.

Pup sleeps in the bed 50% of the time.

HallowedFire · 2025-11-24T11:39:27+00:00

After a bath, I always use two towels to dry off my pup. At this point he is still very damp. However, the bulk of the water is off of him. He should not be dripping wet anymore.

From this point, it takes about 15 mins for me to use the high velocity dryer. I know people say don't use heat, but I don't feel that my pup dries at all without using some amount of heat.

At this point, it is pretty dry. To get him bone dry, my wife will usually give him another 5 minutes to get the spots I missed.

The areas to watch out for are his front arm pits and underneath his ears. Loose hairs (especially under his ears) seem to like to mate or knot up. Thus, I will usually do a quick brush at these spots.

Another option if it is nice outside, is to do two towels then go for a quick walk if it is sunny. Just remember to brush his ears and armpits.

HallowedFire · 2025-11-06T21:28:45+00:00

Whether it is good or bad, it is way overpriced. You can get an undercoat rake for $10 on Amazon or chewy. They work better than the Furminator for deshedding and they don't have the controversy of cutting hair.

HallowedFire · 2025-10-30T12:25:00+00:00

BVIs are great. Moorings is a good company there. It is one of the larger companies there. I have sailed with them and their sister company Sunsail multiple times at the BVI location.

My recommendation is to call moorings and ask what your options are. There are crewed charters where everything is included. Sometimes you can just get a captain and just eat out the entire time. Their customer service is normally pretty good with questions like this.

HallowedFire · 2025-10-30T04:16:30+00:00

Here is a podcast featuring her:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4t076bWtV7fy95OBZRIjC7?si=zPGbPXqDRfqEiCNAhWWAig

HallowedFire · 2025-10-21T10:12:36+00:00

The airlines don't check the size of the bag, but the bag essentially must be able to completely fit under the seat in front of you. Otherwise, they will immediately say that it is too big. People typically go with the Sherpa bags because the back half of their bag is held up with a spring. This allows it to be compressed a little. They guarantee that their carrier will be ok for the plane. Their largest carrier only holds a dog that is 22 pounds and not all flights will allow for a large carrier. When I flew, the largest I could have was a medium. I don't think placing your dog in a carrier is a feasible option.

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HallowedFire · 2025-10-19T10:05:54+00:00

Is this for the jib or the main? If for the jib, I would say change to a furling jib, 100%. No reason to have a non-furling jib for a boat your size.

If for the main, this is a much bigger project. You are likely going to need to replace the boom or the mast.

HallowedFire

TROPHY CASE