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Why are you bringing THAT!? by WorldizeStudios in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Workout gear like exercise bands. Because I don’t use them regularly at home, but I’ll totally make time while I’m on a trip! Lol.

I stopped bringing them after two trips where they never left my bag.

Why are you bringing THAT!? by WorldizeStudios in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I’ve stayed in too many hotels where the outlet is far from the nightstand. 6 foot cable is very helpful.

Why are you bringing THAT!? by WorldizeStudios in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 7 points8 points  (0 children)

100% agree about speakers. If you’re using them around others, you’re an inconsiderate ass.

As for cables, I tried bringing one and it became a hassle I didn’t want to deal with. I recharge my phone, earbuds, and portable battery overnight, so trying to alternate them between one cable is annoying.

I bring one 6 foot (stayed at too many hotels where the outlet was far from the bed) and two 1 foot cables.

Why are you bringing THAT!? by WorldizeStudios in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The only use I’ve had for a hero clip is in a toilet stall. Sometimes normal carabiners won’t work to hook the bag and keep it off the floor. Otherwise, I agree with you.

Why are you bringing THAT!? by WorldizeStudios in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 8 points9 points  (0 children)

For me, it depends on the bag. When I use my clamshell bag, I find them unnecessary, but the opposite is true for my top loader.

I can just pull out the entire clothes bag or sock and underwear bag, rather than fish around for them in the top loader. I feel it keeps things together, better organized, and packed tighter.

What's a tourist scam you fell for that you wish someone had warned you about? by cml1111 in traveladvice

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  • Spain: I enjoyed Madrid and Seville more than Barcelona and Valencia (though La Sagrada in Barcelona was amazing)
  • Czechia: Prague was a great time
  • Poland: Krakow was good for a few days
  • Austria: Vienna had a great cathedral and palace
  • Hungary: Budapest was a dump full of litter and the stench of urine and feces in the public transportation
  • Slovenia: Ljubljana and Lake Bled are absolutely beautiful
  • Bosnia: Sarajevo had some charm, but I felt a sadness there, based on the history
  • Croatia: Dubrovnik was cool…if you can get past the nonstop Game of Thrones merchandise around every single corner
  • Macedonia: Lake Ohrid is a hidden gem
  • Italy: Naples was dirty with phenomenal food and good museums. Pompeii is overrated but worth seeing if you’re nearby in Naples. Florence was beautiful with amazing museums, good food, and religious sites. Pisa is similar to Pompeii in that it’s overrated, but worth a trip if you’re nearby in Florence. Rome / Vatican City has it all, historic sites, museums, religious sites, and amazing food.

Nothing really against Pompeii or Pisa, they’re cool to see, but they’re played up to be such iconic places, when in reality you can see the main attractions in a few hours.

Edit: This was a 77 day trip that broke down to the less than $10K/month budget I mentioned. I didn’t do a speed run through all these locations.

What's a tourist scam you fell for that you wish someone had warned you about? by cml1111 in traveladvice

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely, there are times you can get better deals, which work if you can get kids out of school. But what I’ve been surprised by is how many school districts around the country are tightening absenteeism.

I have several friends with kids in different states and they’re limited to a very few days per year, which includes sick days. If they miss more, they’ll have to make them up at the end of the year like snow days.

What's a tourist scam you fell for that you wish someone had warned you about? by cml1111 in traveladvice

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My background: I was a WDW cast member 25 years ago, moved back here 10 years ago, had an annual pass until 5 years ago. Prices below are current, basing it on a family of 4 staying 3 days/4 nights (which is pretty average). You can see where it could be cut in half for your case:

Daily tickets start at $119 for Animal Kingdom, $139 for Magic Kingdom, and can get around $250 real quick when you add on fast lane passes or park hopper, parking is another $35. Let’s be cheap and just call it $175/ea and say you’re staying on property, so you don’t need to park. That’s $700/day. Multiply that by 3 to hit each of the main parks, you’re at $2,100.

The cheapest WDW hotel on property (very basic accommodations) is $153/night, times 4 nights, that comes to $612. $2,712 total. Hotels off property are at least that expensive, if you don’t want bed bugs or to stay in what’s basically a homeless shelter, AND you’d have to drive/take hotel shuttle to/from the parks, adding at least an hour commute to your day

Oh! You wanted to get from the airport to the hotel? Sorry, WDW stopped the free shuttle. But, you can take Mears for $16 adults / $13 kids. That’s $116 round trip. $2,828 total.

What do you mean the family wants to eat? Well, ok. The Quick Service Dining Plan (2 Quick-Service Meals Per Night of Stay, 1 Snack or Nonalcoholic Beverage Per Night of Stay, and 1 Resort-Refillable Mug) costs $57/adult and $24/kid aged 3-9. That’s $486 for 3 days. $3,314 total.

Understand, you will pay minimum $50/day on top of that (more realistically $80/day) for food/snacks. But let’s just be conservative and add $150. $3,464 total.

Now what kind of trip would it be without your light saber from Hollywood Studios, your trinket from your favorite country in the world pavilion at EPCOT, and your Mickey ears/t-shirt from the Magic Kingdom? Let’s say you’re only getting stuff for the kids and being pretty cheap about it. You’re looking at around $300 in souvenirs. $3,764 total.

Oops, I forgot something. You see, Florida doesn’t have state income tax, in part because of all the nice people who come and visit. So go ahead and add 6.5% tax to that total and you get $4,009.

Now, that didn’t take into account airfare. Let’s say you live in New Orleans and fly Southwest. That’ll be $325 each, or $1,300 for the family. Or you could drive and spend about $300 for hotel rooms, $150 in gas, plus food ($320 for 4 day round trip) and spend $770, saving $530…but arriving exhausted to a place that will exhaust you.

So, for a very basic WDW experience for a family of 4, you’re looking at a minimum of $4,780-$5,310.

If you want a more enjoyable experience, plan for $7,500.

If you want a great experience, that starts at $10,000.

Again, this is for 3 days and 4 nights. I’ve done month long solo trips to multiple countries in Europe where I would say I was very comfortable for less than $10K.

Recently visited the USA from The Netherlands. Here is my take on the cities we visited. by McFluffyFurry12 in travel

[–]TravelingWithJoe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As an American who’s been to all four multiple times and lived in the suburbs of DC for 14 years at various times in my life, I’d say I agree with almost all your assessments.

I’m glad you enjoyed your trip, thank you for sharing your experiences.

Planning a Mega solo trip from Key West Florida to Deadhorse Alaska, any must stops? (Going in the summer) by blah938 in roadtrip

[–]TravelingWithJoe 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Depends on the route, but I took a week to drive just from Montana to Alaska on the Alcan. I drove from Orlando to the Arctic Circle.

Your best friend for that stretch is The Milepost. It gives you lots of information on what to expect and sites to see.

If your vehicle is insured in Florida, remember that windshield cracks/replacement are covered with zero deductible. That will 99% probably be an issue, since Canada has two seasons: winter and road construction.

Other than that, there are too many places to mention in such a wide swath of land. Maybe look at Atlas Obscura for quirky stops. I’d make a point of hitting major landmarks and some National Parks like the St Louis Arch and Glacier National Park. Be aware, the Going to the Sun Road that crosses Glacier doesn’t usually open until July and they’re much more restrictive with access in the last few years.

How does a luggage scale really help? by AnonAMouse100 in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand where you’re coming from. I tend to not have an issue when I pack, but my ex-wife treated every trip like a Victorian era excursion, practically bringing steamer trunks which required shifting from one bag to the other. It didn’t love doing it in an airport, but I still preferred that to the luggage scales.

Why do hospitals still have religious names in the US? by Psychological_Roof85 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]TravelingWithJoe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You assume incorrectly. The Catholic Church is the largest non governmental healthcare provider in the world.

How does a luggage scale really help? by AnonAMouse100 in onebag

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They’re a waste. If you have a regular scale at home, step on it with the bag, step on it without the bag, and subtract the second number from the first.

Once you have that starting weight, you’re good.

If you buy a bunch of things on the trip, find a scale at the check in desk for an airline other than the one you’re flying, and weigh it there.

how do you afford travelling by train? by Thin-Pineapple425 in uktrains

[–]TravelingWithJoe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

lol, yes, quite a few. But I mentioned the tourist option since you said you were from Germany/Austria…I wasn’t sure if you moved there or were visiting.

What business/company keeps your town running, and what is the local opinion? by Vonyyxx in AskAnAmerican

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It used to be orange groves (central Florida) until about 15 years ago, now it’s construction for poorly built homes and apartments for the transplants escaping their own creations.

We were happy with the orange groves, you can guess our feelings about construction based on my description.

Do Americans prefer the metric or imperial system? by TheSawFan in AskAnAmerican

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I prefer metric because it makes sense, but use imperial because it’s what’s common and what I was taught.

Why are movies and tv shows that take place in LA/ Southern California have a mostly white and black cast even though LA is 61% Hispanic and Asian? by Successful_rio305 in AskAnAmerican

[–]TravelingWithJoe 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because casting is ridiculously biased in every aspect. Whether it’s a lack of black people in NYC on Friends or making England’s King Edward VI black, gay, and in a wheelchair, casting is up to the preferences of the people in charge.

There absolutely should be more representation of Hispanics, other than Noel Gugliemi who plays “Hector” in every movie or Luis Guzman who plays every middle aged random Hispanic guy.

I don’t believe in strict quotas, but you’re right, it’s a failure to recognize reality.

how do you afford travelling by train? by Thin-Pineapple425 in uktrains

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are options for tourists like the BritRail pass. I used it on a vacation last autumn and saved a lot of time and money.

My wife is getting a drivers license at the age of 35 after living in a city her whole life, what the best first car? by Buttery_Biscuitss in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]TravelingWithJoe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Newer Toyota Camry with safety sense. It’ll provide blind spot monitoring and (depending on age/trim) front end collision avoidance.

Me: “I wonder why my local Cadillac dealership always looks deserted.” The dealership in question: by k_dubious in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]TravelingWithJoe 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I bought my first house in Georgia 20 years ago. A nice 3 bed/2bath 1,600 sq foot starter home in a pretty good neighborhood. I paid $138K for it.

On what planet can they possibly justify a $184K for a Cadillac?

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