“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”  Philippians 4:4

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

The TSA blog offers up a great list of travel tips for the 2013 Christmas season. There is a lot of interesting information there including the fact that Christmas crackers (the popping kind, not the salted ones) are not allowed on airplanes.

Flying into LaGuardia with a checked bag? Have your claim tag ready because the luggage supervisors will not let you leave baggage claim until they match the bag tag against your claim ticket. It’s a great idea but you might have to dig for the claim tickets if you’re not prepared.

Looking for a last-minute hotel while you’re on the road? Try the Hotel Tonight app to find great day-of deals on hotel rooms.

Wishing you safe travels, warm memories and a very Merry Christmas!!

 

 

 

A couple of weeks ago, I spend the day in Flat Rock, North Carolina with my grandmother and aunt.

The primary reason for our visit was Lost Highway, a musical about the life of Hank Williams. We saw this wonderful show at the Flat Rock Playhouse. I look forward to seeing other performances at the playhouse. It is a simple setup but offers professional sound and lighting. We were seated in the third row and had a great view. The seats were comfortable. Patrons can also enjoy beverages during the show as long as they have lids. It might seem like a small thing but I was dealing with a persistent cough when we were there and having a cup of coffee helped me avoid a hacking fit.

Before the show began, my grandmother treated us to lunch at Hubba Hubba Smokehouse. Like most things in Flat Rock, it’s only a short walk from the playhouse.

Located at 2724 Greenville Highway, Hubba Hubba has been featured in Southern Living and O Magazine. It is open Tuesday-Saturday and does not take credit or debit cards. There is a small ATM in the courtyard of the restaurant.

You don’t have to get very close to Hubba Hubba to smell the fire and smoke that are responsible for their delectable food.

Orders are placed at a window and then diners can pick from a number of seating areas including outdoor, outdoor under patio heaters, and indoor.

The menu includes pulled chicken, pulled pork, brisket and ribs (Thurs-Sat only). The meat is smoked and served dry. If you want to augment that delicious flavor, they offer a variety of serve-yourself sauces. On our visit the selection included hot chipotle, sweet and spicy tomatillo, vinegar, sweet and “regular.” All were good but I really liked the tomatillo on my pulled pork.

Most folks selected the meal which included bread and two sides. The pulled pork meals is $9.95.  You can decide whether you want cornbread or a bun. The cakey cornbread was tasty and studded with kernels of corn. My aunt got a bun and found that the sandwich came with Hubba Hubba’s “sauteed slaw” and pickles.

While there were a number of sides, we all went with the collard greens and baked beans.

The collards were some of the best I have ever had. They are prepared with sauteed onions and garlic. I’m not a big garlic fan but it works with these tender, flavorful greens. They are a must. 

The beans were definitely homemade and included a mix of varieties. I believe this is commonly known as cowboy beans. They had a good flavor but I found them to be a little saucy for my taste. On my next visit I’ll be ordering the cream corn, succotash, or tomatoes and okra over rice in lieu of the beans.

If you are Flat Rock or Hendersonville, take time to try Hubba Hubba. The food is made with love and it shows.

 

 

The anticipation of a big trip is almost as good as the journey itself. I enjoy the planning and preparation. I also enjoy studying about the places that I am going to visit. Whether traveling in the U.S. or abroad, I like to pick a book, either fiction or non-fiction, that features my destination. This is different from reading a guidebook; the purpose here is to get a feel for the spirit of the place, not just memorize a list of sites that must be seen.

I find that many tour companies will provide a list of suggested readings for travelers. If you are not taking a group tour, I recommend Longitude as a source for books about your destination. If your time or budget is limited, the best bet is a book of short stories or essays. These compilations provide short sketches of the life, history, or culture of your destination. It’s a great way to build excitement for the trip and get a feel for the adventure you’re about to have.

This week we’re wrapping up this little series on travel insurance.

Which expenses should you cover when buying travel insurance? All prepaid non-refundable costs should be covered. This could include lodging, transportation, the cost of your group tour or the cost of any day-tours if you are traveling on your own, cruise fares…anything that you have to pay for in advance and can’t get fully refunded if you have to cancel.

If you don’t know all of your prepaid costs when you first make the arrangements, then use the known amount but be sure to add coverage later. For example, if you book a group tour a year out and ask the operator to make air arrangements for you, they may not be able to give you an airfare amount. When they do contact you and you pay for the airfare, be sure to contact the insurance company immediately to increase your coverage amount. Forgetting this step can lead to a rude awakening if you have to cancel and won’t be able to recoup the cost of airfare.

If you are taking a cruise and plan to prebook shore excursions, check the cancellation rules. If the policy states that you can get a refund for cancellations within 24-48 hours of the excursion, you would not have to cover this expense. Similarly, you shouldn’t cover anything you anticipate buying or booking once you are already on the trip.

Where should you buy trip insurance? The short answer is a reputable company, with good customer service that provides the best service for you at the most competitive rate. There are a number of sites that serve as aggregators for travel insurance companies. By allowing you to compare a number of policies at once, these sites make it easy to decide which policy to pick. I recommend InsureMyTrip or TravelInsuranceReview which features a wonderful insurance primer and travel tips.

You may also want to consider buying traveling insurance coverage through the company that your travel operator recommends. This is especially true if you are traveling with a membership-based organization (alumni association, museum, or another affinity group) because often they can provide some basic assistance if you have to file a claim and they generally make a commission off your premiums. You could consider the insurance as another way that you are helping them out. Of course the insurance available through these groups is a bit more expensive because that commission has to come from somewhere.

Finally, keep copies of all your travel documents because you will need them if you need to file a travel insurance claim. Also, be prepared to show documentation to backup the reason you cancelled the trip. Your doctor will have to sign off on forms if you cancel for a health reason. The process and paperwork will be a hassle but the hassle will pay off when you are able to recoup your costs.

Last month when Mr. McB and I were headed to my parents for the weekend, I forgot to pack his underwear. I’m a veteran traveler. I’ve packed our bags countless times and yet I almost always work off a list for this very reason. In this case, it was easy and inexpensive enough to run out to the store and correct my mistake but that’s not always the case when you forget something while traveling. This is why you always make a list of what needs to be packed. Always.

As soon as you start thinking of what you want to take, start making that list. TravelSmith has a great printable checklist that can be downloaded from their site. I know many frequent business travelers who use lists like this to create their own custom packing list spreadsheet using their most frequently needed items. They just cross off any unneeded items and add a quantity for those things that they are packing.

The Universal Packing List site is an interesting way to start generating ideas for things that you need to pack and tasks you need to take care of before your trip. There are also a number of apps for this very purpose.

This list could also come in handy once you’re on the trip too. It’s a great way to make sure you haven’t left anything behind when it comes time to pack up and go home. If your luggage is lost and you need to file a claim, the list can be very helpful. Without it, you might not remember to list all the items that were in your bag.

Happy packing and don’t forget the list!

 

It hasn’t always been easy for passengers on oxygen to attempt air travel. Now passengers are allowed to bring FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators on board domestic flights or international flights starting or ending in the United States.

Passengers do still have to abide by a number of guidelines including advanced check-in, medical documentation, and batteries charged to 150 percent of the flight time.

To learn more about the procedures for flying with oxygen, please visit the FAA’s site and the Airline Oxygen Council.