Coronavirus (COVID-19) Keep your hands away from your stupid face! Then, how to best deal with the drastic overreactions to this virus, that generally does not make one very sick? Ideas and comprehensive information here from world traveler, Johnny Jet.
Emergency Roomlist of things to take. If you ever need to go, take the things you need for spending several days away from home, because you never know. We learned the hard way in the Dominican Republic when we almost lost some fingers. (PHOTOS)
Hotels Use only known booking sites. UFO sites can steal your money and leave you with no place to stay.
For the best price, book well in advance in advance (3 months) for a room that is refundable (usually 72 within hours before arrival time). Then, a week in advance, check again for lower rates. This may save you over 50%.
Flying Within the US the cheapest fares are generally for flights any time on a Tuesday or a Wednesday and after 2pm on a Saturday (true July, 2016). Frequent fliers consider it common courtesy to give the middle seat passenger both arm rests.
Cheapest flights anywhere, on a map of the world - various times (this example from Phoenix).
Your kite gear can be a challenge. However, there are things you can do to make things go smoother when you fly.
BAGGAGE: Know the rules for checked and carry-on luggage for your particular flight and weigh your bags. Do not go by your previous trip, as things can change.
o Maximum size under-seat personal item is generally 9"x10"x17" The Hynes Eagle 44L (below, right) is supposedly the largest backpack that will fit under an airline seat. The bag is reasonably priced, has compression straps, a computer pocket and contains 17 pockets, including 11 zippers.
o Maximum size carry-on for the overhead bin is generally 22"x9"x14" (not allowed with United's Basic Economy)
o United Airlines has battery retrictions: Smart bags that do not have a removable battery cannot travel on any United or United Express® flight.
If you have problems, treat the airline people with respect and courtesy. The people at the podium can be your best friend in a difficult situation. You want to keep them as your friend, realizing that they did not cause your situation.
- If you're stuck in a long line at the airport, phone the airline to resolve the problem. If they put you on indefinite hold, phone one of their out-of U.S. offices, as it will not be so busy.
If your luggage does not arrive with you, NEVER leave the airport without it or filing a claim. Always assume the airlines will lose your stuff. I never lost anything until August, 2017 in Miami, courtesy of American Airlines. It took 10 days to get my kiteboard equipment back and was such a hassle that, in the future, I will always take a video of my bag packing and a picture of my bag.
PACKING:
Sun Realty has an excellent packing list for driving and eight other categories.
- Starting in In October, 2019 the airlines have to pay you up to $3,500 for the contents of your lost bag, but you have to PROVE what you had, so video tape as you pack your bag (along with your boarding pass to prove you did the packing for this flight).
PACKING SCHEMES
Flying for Comedy Appearances
Take only a single personal item: Haynes Eagle 44L (pictured right)
Pack laptop first, exactly as shown below for best fit
Top to bottom in picture below:
Tripod A with Bluetooth mouse tucked to the right in an old sock
Two camcorders wrapped in clean T-Shirts and shaving bag
Cell phones for video, USB power packs an tripod B shifted to the right
Socks, underbriefs, qt.bag of liquids & 3 USB cables & the 6-USB charger & its cord
On top, put blue pouch w Square & show fobs and 7 T-Shirts:
1 Small
1 Medium
2 Large
2 X Large
1 XX Large
All that is going to make for a rather heavy back pack. Here are two approaches for putting it on:
Flying to Kiteboarding Destinations: The Golf bag (first picture on the
right) is everything needed to kite in at least 18 mph winds. The second bag with the red stripe would be added for lower winds. The bags are packed assuming a 50 lb weight limit, for domestic US flights like Maui:
Lite Wave Golf Bag 60x16x13=89" 7.9 lb (7.88 kg); weight 49.0 lb loaded with:
Helmet (put in the very top of the bag BEFORE the kites)
AXIS Vanguard 132 x 41cm twin-tip board
Dark-color, light-weight knit protective sleeve for the board
Four foam fin protectors (use higher pads at bottom at golf bag's wheel wells)
Two foam foot-strap support inserts
Mesh zipper bag for above foam protectors
6m Best Nemesis kite and its bag
8m Best Nemesis kite
8m kite bag
Airushcontrol bar/line set
Kite pump (across the middle)
Two empty sand bags
Harness w spreader bar and safety leash, Da Kine, seat/waist
Black hat
Liquid Peace neoprene jacket or Mystic shortie john
Booties (tuck inside the helmet
Sandals, light weight
Sun screen, 4 x 8 oz in zip-lock bag
Vivitar Tripod, VPT-240
Giant towel as protective sleeve for the tripod
Gym bag, light weight for excursions or possible overflow
Naish Custom Fish 5’2” x 17.5” surfboard without footstraps
Footstraps for the Naish board (optional)
Dark-color, light-weight knit protective sleeve for the board
Foam packing protectors for board and fins
Mesh bag for the foam packing protectors
12m Cabrinha Switchblade-4 and its bag
15m Epic Infinity and its bag (kite bar is in golf bag)
Kite bar simulator
Elastic tubing gym
Grip Stick forearm exerciser
Plastic Clipboard
Sunscreen (appx 8 oz) in plastic bag
Large beach towel
On both of our boards, due to the chance of stripping the threads, we use foam padding rather than removing the fins. We ride this 5'2" surfboard without the foot straps.
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Duffel Day Bag packed for a Day-Trip as to Union Beach or Playa Punta:
camera with freshly recharged battery
kiting sunglasses
pair of cargo shorts
T-shirt
hooded sweat shirt
water-resistant windbreaker
wallet with spare money and a photocopy of my passport (use Passport Booth to take your own government approved passport photos... for free)
some first aid
handheld wind meeter
booties
sunscreen
insect repellent
bottled water
We have been pretty lucky, having never lost our luggage. We have only had to pay an overage fee one time for our kite bag, and it was not even one of those imitation golf bags. We will see if our luck holds out with our future flights.
We use this 3-oz luggage scale.
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Additional tips from Charles of Kitty Hawk Kites:
Print out the airline's baggage rules for possible ignorant airline employees
Always carry a 75 pound capacity fish scale [or get a luggage scale like mine]
Pack your bags to one pound under the limit
Put your kiteboard in a cheap, cloth bag inside the travel bag so it is not immediately visible when the travel bag is opened
Check your luggage curbside with a $10 tip [we always have a $20 tip in our hand]
If questioned, avoid mentioning your board
Go to your airline's website for the final word on baggage.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: The following six US cities are the only ones with excellent public transportation so you typically do NOT want to rent a car:
Boston
New York City
Wshington DC
Phillydelphia
Chicago
San Franscisco
Car Rental - Join their Frequent Renter program to avoid a possible 3-5 hour wait for your car. Rates should default to a weekly rate at 5 days. Book something about 45 days out and then re-shop about 5 days out. If you get something cheaper, you should be able to cancel the first booking at no charge.
- Before and after taking the car, thouroughly take pictures and videos of the entire car, inside & out, including the rims and emphasizing the windshield.
Deposits for car rentals, lodging, etc.: Make advanced payments by credit card only, for protection, in case the offer is a scam or the provider is unable to provide the promised services. This comes into play more when you are looking for a steal of a deal.
Trip Planning Chart (Fill in chart bottom-right to top-left)
Minutes
Driving to
Time to
Arrive
Minutes
to Stay
Time
to Leave
Location
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4:13
Home
12
4:25
1:10
5:35
Home
:35
6:10
:15
6:25
Winco Foods
:20
6:45
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JP's Comedy Club
Minutes
Driving to
Time to
Arrive
Minutes
to Stay
Time
to Leave
Location
.
.
.
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Cell phone information about SIMs etc. for just about anywhere in the world, including a list by country.
Easily and effectively learn a Language with Memrise that makes it a game, with 200 languages; 4 words a day.
How will you power your electronics on your trip abroad?
Here is a list of countries, plugs, voltages, frequencies, history, maps, diagrams, pictures and other good information.
ATMs: NEVER use one in a store or on the street. Only go to one INSIDE a bank, and then always check for a SKIMMER by looking for glue around the card reader and tugging on the card reader to see if it is loose. Always cover your hand when putting in your PIN.
Purchases abroad on visa or MasterCard: ALWAYS select to pay in the local currency to avoid a, typically 10% additional foreign exchange rate. The banks even try to trick you by having payment in US funds as the default.
Etiquette for tipping, gestures, dining and do's & don'ts in 29 of the world's 193 countries. A friendly gesture in one country can be obscene in another. What may be perfectly normal in one country can sometimes be a grave insult in another.
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Cell phone information about SIMs etc. for just about anywhere in the world, including a list by country.
Easily and effectively learn a Language with Memrise that makes it a game, with 200 languages; 4 words a day.
How will you power your electronics on your trip abroad?
ATMs: NEVER use one in a store or on the street. Only go to one INSIDE a bank, and then always check for a SKIMMER by looking for glue around the card reader and tugging on the card reader to see if it is loose. Always cover your hand when putting in your PIN.
