Don't get screwed by the airlines - Relocation/Travel tips

10 SECRETS THE AIRLINES DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW

Once you've experienced a $200 price spike in the middle of your ticket search, your fourth 45-minute flight delay of the day, or your bag going MIA in Miami, you can't help but think: what are these airlines hiding from me?

It turns out, A LOT. Sure, some of it's coincidence, and you get an $8 voucher for an airport breakfast. But that overpriced breakfast is not an adequate salve -- and in fact, you've got a right to more than that. Here are 10 secrets airlines don't want you to know.

Black, White and Shades of Gray - Relocation Abroad

Travel Wardrobe Capsule – Black and white and shades of gray

Been really busy working to narrow down the clothes for my upcoming trip. Been Mixing and matching outfits to wear for 15 glorious days in the tropics. 

Each of us has agreed to travel with only ONE carry on. So gotta make everything fit! That's the plan.

As we were fine tuning our itinerary I also attempted to fine tune my wardrobe selections. However, so far, no wardrobe plan has worked to meet all of my specifications. 

　

With time running out, I'm posting my most recent and hopefully my final attempt. 

I chose these pieces based on several factors and with a focus on total comfort dressing. No tight, clinging, digging pants. I'm not even taking a pair of jean (they are heavy and can also be very hot) We have a long flight and once we arrive we will be spending a great deal of time riding long distances on hot buses, which I also assume will probably a bit cramped. 

I don't anticipate that we will attend any dressy functions but I bought along 1 dress that can pass for dressy and I have a pair of trusty black pants. 

Four dresses

Six tops

All tops are inter changeable

five pairs of pants

 navy, black and gray pants are all made of tencel

Batik long dress from Molly b

 2 swim suits

1 swim suit cover ups

1 Net King Tunic (also comes in black)

the tunic is not an "official" swim suit cover up. I'm just using it as one. 

It is very versatile. I have a million things I can wear under it. 

Also packing: 2 pairs of knee length shorts (khaki and pink) and 3 linen Tshirts (navy, black and olive green) 1 wrap, 1 pj, undies (I love the ExOfficio Quick-Dry Full Brief $20 /pr) 2 pairs of Toms (black and ?? (a pair not  purchased yet)

So far everything fits. We'll see how many "must haves" I will have to add to the bag.

I'll take a photo each day of the outfit I wear once we get to Costa Rica

The Notorious Over Packer - Travel Relocation Abroad

The over packer's motto:

“I’ll take it.... just in case” 

GUILTY as charged!

I have travelled near and far and no matter where I go, I end up packing too many clothes. I really have the best of intentions because my desire has always been to take "only what I need".  However, even though I bought a fancy luggage scale - in the end I always have at least 2 suitcases full of clothing and have even found myself re-shuffling clothing from one bag to another at the airline check in counter - which is sort of embarassing, I might add -- especially since a good majority of those clothes I never end up wearing. It's a very stressful way to travel!

My packing process has not served me well in the past and for 2015 and beyond I have vowed to change my overpacking ways and travel lighter -- using only a carry on.  (all bets are off when relocating to a new country)

Here's why

You can save yourself some money!
The U.S. airline industry has made about $3.4 billion a year in baggage fees since most airlines started charging for checked bags in 2008. On one trip returning from Barcelona I added a 3rd bag and it cost me over $200! 

The BF says he wil not repeat the luggage debacle we experienced in France when he had to carry our 4 over stuffed suitcases up and down several flights of stairs (no elevator) in one of the train stations in France. All annoucements were in french and they kept switching the departure gate (we think). That was in 2010 and he brought it up again last week. Seems he will NEVER forgive me for that one - although I swear to you "it was not my fault!"

But beyond that, what is really driving this decision is our upcoming trip to Costa Rica because we will primarily be using various forms of public transportation. There will be 5 of us and we will each be repsonsible for our own luggage (meaning the BF won't be carrying my bag). Plus I am pretty nervous about letting my luggage out from under my watchful eye on the buses  -- as I have heard horror stories about luggage and personal items being taken in Cost Rica.  So, it's one bag for me. I might even let the bag have the seat  on the bus and I will stand! :)

Here are some of my tips 

AND.......Don't Forget

Be ready to go through screening and remove electronics and liquids and gels for inspection. If you can, place these items separately in the zipper portion in the front of your suitcase.

Use dryer sheets. Put one in each suitcase. Keeps it smelling nice!  Plus, reminds you of home if you are prone to homesickness. 

PACK YOUR UNDERWEAR LAST

Underwear is tiny.  It doesn’t need it’s own dedicated corner in your suitcase.  It doesn’t even need to be folded.  This might seem a bit haphazard but once you’re done packing you can literally just stuff your underwear into the gaps between your clothes.  Saving a bit of space sometimes really is that simple.

Last but not least

"i don't think you need to bring this"

After you've finished packing and repacking, have an impartial friend or family member go through what you've packed and give you their honest opinion of what you are taking.
Remove the unnecessary pieces.  Zip your bag and Enjoy your trip!

Costa Rica Here We Come!

Women lead the pack for relocation abroad - Relocation Abroad

The baby boomers rejected convention in their youth, and now they are reinventing old age – abroad. 

There’s something undeniably appealing about the idea of living an expatriate adventure in retirement. Striking out for foreign shores can seem both pragmatic and poetic.

Source

Anthropologist Liesl Gambold looks at the growing trend of retiring to a foreign country, especially among single women. 

Do you think more single women will retire abroad in the future?

LG: Quite simply, I think that the fact that pension funds in many places are being threatened, and fewer people have been rigorously saving for retirement. This will mean that, more than ever before, the baby boomer retirees will suffer from economic hardship. 

Since women outnumber and outlive men in this group, women will suffer proportionately more economically. While I think governments should do more to help assuage these hardships for our aging, unfortunately I do not think that there will be a rapid enough response from most governments to really make a difference.

Read the interview

The beautiful money of Costa Rica - Tips- Relocation Costa Rica

The other day I was getting a little nervous wondering about how and where to exchange money for our Costa Rica trip.  I have made currency exchanges for past trips abroad at a currency exchange location in San Francisco prior to our tirps.

The colón (named after Christopher Columbus, known as Cristóbal Colón in Spanish) is the currency of Costa Rica. The plural is colones. The ISO 4217 code is CRC.

The symbol for the colón is a capital letter "C" crossed by two diagonal strokes.
more about the Colon

I realized that you don't get the best exchange rate at these locations and for some reason I was under the impression that I was to make the exchange at the San Jose upon arrival. I asked our Costa rica contact about this and was told that in fact, the airport was the worst place to exchange money. The preferred option would be the use a bank. However, we are arriving very early in the morning on a Saturday and I doubt that we will be able to get to a bank.

How will we get to our hotel or do anything without the local currency?

Good question

Have no fear!  Michael & D'Angelo to the rescue (thanks guys!).

Cleared everything up and now I'm all set!

Take a listen

A Tale of 2 San Jose's - Crime and Relocation Abroad

I was hearing so much about the crime in Costa Rica and I thought I had it all worked out in my head.

Until, I became concerned (again) a couple of weeks ago when Michael & D'Angelo posted this video of a burglary that happened to them in their apartment close to San Jose Costa Rica. Even with the video footage below, the police did nothing.

And.... Today on Facbook I saw video footage of another burglary, this one in San Jose, California. Possibly the only difference is that "maybe" (and that's a BIG maybe) if they catch these 2 thieves, something might happen to them. But since I have very little faith in the police anymore, whether they do something about it or not doesn't make much difference to me.  but I feel a little better now (of course I feel bad for the victims) but..... the point for me  is 
Keep it in all in perspective, this kind of crime can happen anywhere!! 

Airline tickets to Costa Rica - Check!

and it feels so good....

We decided to forego the flight on Spirit Airlines especially after hearing all the awful stories about the service they offer. I'd like to get there without the hassle and delays most passengers seem to experience. They do offer a very attractive reduced airfare.

but.....

We chose Delta Airlines which flies non-stop from LAX. Our ticket price was $550 each round trip and $661 with taxes and fees. Still a very good fare.

That works for me.

It was bound to happen - Tico Time Day 6 in Puerto Viejo - Relocation to Costa Rica

Things were going pretty well for Ashlea and the group...and then....it happened. The thing they've all warned us about and one of the biggest obstacles US expats have to face in Costa Rica.

It's called "Tico Time".

It is one of the biggest reasons why people return to the states.

In Costa Rica the Ticos don't feel the urgency to be restricted to a time schedule. Their lives are more relaxed and much less stressful than ours. They do things on their own schedule (which often means that it does not coincide with our schedule). They may tell you 8:30 on Monday and show up on Wednesday at noon. I guess you just never know.

Here in the US we are the exact opposite. We are taught from an early age to be prompt and we are pretty regimented where time is concerned. This difference is something that can drive some folks absolutely crazy and many will never adjust.

Today was a day Ashlea was looking forward to (and me too). This was the day she was to meet with the realtor. Set for 8:30 am. Time to check out the available housing in the area.  After all, this was one of the major reasons for her trip.  And, I was hoping to get some idea of housing costs in the area and also a chance to see what the houses really look like (thus far both of these facts have evaded us).

Well, for reasons ranging from unexpected early morning visitors, to lack of transportation the meeting did not happen on schedule. 

No houses were ever seen on the inside

But...the meeting did happen, finally

And we learned several things. 

If you're looking for a place to rent in Puerto Viejo, it's probably not a good idea to talk about it in public. In the US we like to put the info out in hopes that someone will know someone who knows someone and we can find a place.

In Puerto Viejo, telling someone will mean that they will tell someone who will tell someone who will tell someone who will tell someone and it will never stop.  It might get you a marriage proposal but probably will not result in you a finding a house! 

Instead find a reputable person and then keep it private! So now Ashlea (hopefully) has found just such a person.  If it works out, she can pass them along to me. 

Oh and BTW - Long term rentals are pretty difficult to come by in the Puerto Viejo area because during the high season, owners want their properties vacant so they can rent them short term and charge higher rents.  During the high season is when most of the money is made in that area.  Makes sense. So, you can't  really blame them. However that may cause some problems for those of us looking to rent all year.

So what are we going to do? At this point I have no idea.

Maybe this is a good time to start taking some advice from our Tico friends. 

Tico Time really means to slow down and go with the flow. It is the quiet acceptance of the well-meaning people of Costa Rica who have their own priorities.

Relax.  

What's the rush

It will all work itself out in the end 

This is how we do it - Day 2 - Relocation Costa Rica

It's day 2 and Ashlea, Tommy and Wanda head out for a full day of exploring.

They start the day with a meal of fresh fruit which they purchased from one of the local carts - the fresh fruit is wonderful. It can be cut for you and you are welcome to taste test fruits you might be unfamiliar with.  They buy Rambutan, Star Fruit, mini bananas and some sort of green orange. You can actually buy quite A LOT of fruit for $10!

Next they head off to rent bikes from one of the many bike shops. Bikes are a normal mode of transportation for tourists and locals alike. They rental rate is $7/ea for 24 hrs. They then head south  to explore the area south of Puerto Viejo. 

It's a scenic ride and they past by the Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel where we are going to stay and Ashlea remarks that "it looks awesome" (whew!). On the way they stop in Cocles at La Isla Inn located across from the ocean and booked their next two nights. The inn is owned by a very nice German lady. There are many different cultures in this part of Costa Rica. Ashlea is in love with melting pot of people who live in the area.  

As they continued their journey there were boutiques, restaurants, quaint hotels and grocery stores which dotted the entire ride. Ashlea and I had been a bit worried that there would be no cool clothing places but to our surprise there were many! She will send us some pics which I will include in a later post.

"Aqua de pipa" as it is called in Costa Rica is not to be confused with coconut milk. Drinking young coconut water provides a quick and easy source of nutrition without taxing the enzyme systems of the body. It improves the absorption of minerals, B vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as some amino acids.
Costs about $2.00 and can be found just about everywhere!

Along the ride they came upon a man on a bike...yelling "pahhhhty patty patty" so they decided to stop him and ask what he was selling. Homemade empanadas from a recipe originating in Jamaica...and fresh juice. He also instructed them that is they continued on their path, once they reached the town of Punta Uva (where a lot of the expats live), cross bridge and turn left they would find beach. After following the long road through the jungle and they arrived at a truly breathtaking beach. They swam...lounged about and then headed home.

Total miles on the bike....18
Now THAT is some riding!

Stay tuned for day 3 and it's all about the dogs!

This is how we do it! - Relocation Costa Rica

Tonight I am doing the happy dance.

This is how we do it

Montell Jordan

I've been chatting with my new friend Ashlea for several months now. We met on Facebook due to our mutual interest in relocating to Costa Rica (particularly the Puerto Viejo area located on the Southern Caribbean coast).

Ashlea and I had many really long, drawn out IM conversations on Saturday mornings. Each of us confessing our true desires (like possibly finding a boutique or some place to shop and how to open up a business) and our fears (like too many insects, wild animals and lousy internet).

Ashlea, her mom and a friend made plans to visit Costa Rica several months earlier than our planned spring time trip. So, she promised to report back to me and give me the 411 on the area.

Well, she arrived yesterday and is following through on her promise!

Looks like the only glitch so far has been the flight over (Spirit Air).  I have been very hesitant about taking advantage of one of the advertised "cheap" flights. They keep popping up on my fare alert. I think Ashlea took one of those flights and it was delayed in Miami.  The delay pushed them back a day. My plan is to fly Jet Blue to Ft Lauderdale and then on to Costa Rica.  Not the cheapest fare but reasonable if we wait for the right time to buy our tickets.

When they finally arrived in Costa Rica they made the 4 hour bus trip to Puerto Viejo. She reports that the trip seemed a bit long but explains it was due to their earlier flight delay.  A thumbs up to the bus and the beautiful scenery along the way.

The initial report was that the place is packed full of culture and pretty cool place despite the fact that it is also very hot and VERY humid. However, we both knew this going in.

Coco Loco Lodge

They stayed at the  his cute little place called the Coco Loco Lodge. A very nice, quite little place a bit off the beaten path and with no AC and mosquito nets--a plus.  On their 1st night they endured a power outage but were assured that although it happens from time to time (generally when it had rained a lot) It is not the norm.  In spite of this they were very happy with their lodging choice.  They did miss the earthquake that rocked Costa Rica the day before.

Our plan is to stay at Le Caméléon Boutique Hotel in Playa Cochles, located on a beautiful beach a few miles from Puerto Viejo.

They had a chance to check out Bread and Chocolate, a bakery and bistro in Puerto Viejo.  It's also on our list of places when we eat. The breakfasts look scrumptious.

Because we both have pets, Ashlea and I discussed the stray dog situation which I've read a lot about. The rumors appear to be true although she says the dogs seem friendly.

The local people have been very helpful and offering loads of info.

Last I heard from Ashlea they were are off to dinner and some music at The Lazy Mon.
Can't wait for the review!!
BTW - Our first stop in Puerto Viejo will be to the legendary Open Mic Night where you can jam out with musicians from all over the world every Sunday night!

Pura Vida!

Making new friends in Puerto Viejo

Thank you Ashlea, Wanda and Tommy

please stay tuned for more...

Time to pack - Or at least start a plan to avoid over packing

This is a packing list I got from a cool blog called the Ramblin Traveler. You'll also find a lot of other helpful info especially about Puerto Viejo, if that's your destination. She moves around so you can also follow her other travels.  My packing list items are in blue.

I have already started to angst over what to bring on our trip and it's 6 months out. The trip is 14 days but since we are going to be moving around quite a bit (and frankly the crime problem has gotten me a little worried - the one that says NEVER LET ANYTHING OUT OF YOUR SIGHT). So since we will have our luggage with us I don't want to travel with anything more than I have to. Hence my plan is one bag and a carry on. My one bag is even carry on size,  so if I get lucky maybe I won't have to check a bag (f I can pull it off, this will be a first.!)  I generally travel with a large spinner, plus the carry on I mentioned and another bag filled to the brim with laptop, cosmetics, etc.

  Shorts and T-shirts
         I'm thinking 5 pairs of shorts should do it (for the beach areas only I hear)

 Nice casual outfit for evenings out (aka dressing’ to impression’!!)

        Not exactly sure about his one yet. Probably a long dress and nice pair of black slacks

  Sweater (yes, sweater) and long pants

       Ok sweater and 5 pairs of light weight long pants and a pair of jeans (which I will travel in) I try to travel in the heaviest pair of pants and shoes to save on space in the suitcase.  Plus jeans are sturdy and will be good for the cooler temperature on the plane and the weather in San Francisco which will be our city of origin. 

 Underwear and bras of course (men, you can skip the bras unless you are into some crazy kinky stuff I don’t know about and frankly don’t want to know about;))

  Shoe variety (I brought 2 sets of flip-flops and a pair of keens which have been invaluable throughout the trip!!  They serve as my hiking/general exercise “boots” and even my riding “boots”!  And they aren’t that bulky so they don’t take an excessive amount of space up in my bag.)

Tom's Tom's Tom's!! They are my go to shoe for traveling. They are light and comfy. So 2 pairs of Tom's. I have some hiking boots that I bought for my trip to Africa (I never wore them) They are kind of heavy so may settle for another pair of shoes I have that are walking shoes (wear them to travel in). Served me well on past trips to Paris. Also 1 pair of flats (you can wear for casual or dress). 1 pair flip flops and a pair of sandals. 

   Poncho (thanks mom!!)
            Rain can happen anytime

   Bathing suits (more than one as it takes 2-3 days for anything to dry around here and slipping into a wet and cold bathing suit isn’t all that great!!)

Check!

   Compact caboodle to put in all toiletries (I found a fabric caboodle that came with many storage areas and even little travel bottles that I filled with hydrogen peroxide, shampoo, lotion and tea tree oil bug spray.  Mind you this was in my backpack and not in my carry-on so there were no airport security issues)

  Compact sleep travel kit (as mentioned before I happened to purchase mine on the flight over and it’s come in handy many times!!  Pack included blanket, air pillow, eye mask and ear plugs)

Not needed as we have hotel reservations at every stop

   Towel (not all hostels provide you with a towel, and even if they do, sometimes it’s just a better idea to use your own!! Also, I have a second towel that my sister gave to me a while back.  I believe it is from Japan but it is very small yet acts like one of those sham wow towels while actually still having the feel of a towel)

 I plan to take a hand towel and washcloth (just in case). These items should be provided at out hotels

   BUG SPRAY!!!!!  (ok, now I really didn’t have any need for bug spray until I reached the Osa Peninsula, but in general this is a good idea!!)

Gonna try Avon Skin So Soft  some swear by it, others don't but I'm also taking my Repel (it is Deet free). It worked in Africa, but we'll see. 

•  Water bottle (my mom and I found this great water bottle called vapur: it’s a eco-friendly reusable plastic water bottle that is also BPA-free and the best thing about it is that when it’s empty, it’s as flat as a few sheets of paper, but when filled it simply expands and allows up to, if memory serves right, a half a liter of water!  It also comes with a carabiner for easy clipping to your body or pack!)

•  Hands-free headlight (I got one with three modes of lighting and it has come in great handy!!  Whether used for a night tour, light to get home after late-night fiestas, during blackouts that actually occur more often than not or simply in my own home when the 3 of the 4 light bulbs suddenly decide to burn out all within the same hour!)

           I have a headlight from my Africa trip will take it 

I 

•  Plastic bags (these are really essential too!!  They are great for stuffing still wet clothing into or dirty clothes into to separate them from the rest of the dry and clean clothes while traveling from one place to the next)

•  First Aid Kit (I bought one from Bass Pro Shop that is quite compact and has a lot of handy stuff including a syringe and gloves.  I’ve added to it extra bandaids, Neosporen and tea tree oil for bug bites)

          A must plus any other medications you might need (Tylenol etc)

         P.S I am also taking a roll of travel toilet tissue. Took some to Africa, You just never know!

Happy Packing

How Cuenca hats are made

Cuenca Ecuador

Since we have some time before we make our trip to Central America I will research and share with you information that I discover about people, places and things outside of Costa Rica.

My most recent research has taken me to Ecuador in search of information on the trendy Panama hat.

I bought a couple of Panama hats at a local boutique in San Francisco and loved them so much that I became very interested in the history of the Panama hat.  I have to admit that one of the fascinating things about the Panama hat is that the genuine hats are hand-made ONLY in Ecuador.  One of the cities famous for its hats is Cuenca.  Also originally one of the cities on our top 10 list for retirement. Cuenca elevation 9,0000, is on the AARP list of the most affordable locations for retirement.

Can't wait to go there and buy myself a Panama hat!

Moving slow but Celebrating the baby steps - Boomer Retirement Abroad Costa Rica

Back with a quick update!

I'm hoping this blog will prove to be an invaluable resource tool, as I look back on my preparation for retirement and relocation.  As an added bonus it may also help someone else. 

Costa Rican sloth photo source

But, I feel really good! 

We  have come a long way baby!  There are so many things to research to pull off a move like this.  Starting with the exploratory trip.  Yes, we still have a very long way to go but at least we are beginning to tie up loose ends regarding our first visit to the country.  I consider that progress!  We locked down a potential time slot to visit and set a deadline of September 15 for all those going to give their final confirmation. 

We’re working on our itinerary of stops and I have to say, I am really delighted with the information we've obtained through networking.  I can’t stress enough how beneficial it can be.  If I have a question I google first and then I head over to an online forum, Facebook or reach out to a fellow blogger.  The people are usually kind and helpful and they will often go out of their way to really help you.  I think of all the people I have contacted, only one or two have turned out to be duds (always expect that some people aren’t going to help you).  Don't take it personal.  Just keep on keeping on!   All the good advice, friendliness and support from the others totally outweighs the bad. 

So today I’m celebrating our progress thus far and giving a big shout out to all the people that have helped us by answering tons of questions (which I'm sure probably seem silly to them).  

Oh, maybe you are wondering why I posted the photo of the sloth today.  I don't f think I've ever really thought of seeing a sloth in my yard or slowly walking across the road or hanging from a tree overhead but it appears that is the norm in many areas of the country.  So, I've come to the conclusion that I better get used to this animal and I think a bit of research is on the horizon.  There is even a Sloth Sanctuary very close to the towns we are considering on the Caribbean coast.

So....stay tuned

and

Pura Vida
(a phrase meaning “pure life” that typifies Costa Rica's smart balance of nature and community)

A beach on every corner - Boomer Retirement Abroad- Costa Rica

I'm gathering information and collecting videos on Costa Rica as we make preparations for our upcoming visit.

One area we are considering is the Guanacaste region which is on the North Pacific Coast.  The town of Playas del Coco is the oldest beach community in the province.

Here's a video from the Frank & Sandy Show  

highlighting the 

"Top 5 reasons we love Playas del Coco"

Boomer Travel - Tips for Staying in a hotel

All you want to do is kick off your shoes and relax when you arrive in your hotel room. But before you flop down on the bed, make time to do these eight simple things before anything else. Your health and safety may depend on it.

What is the first thing you do when you get to your hotel room?

Check out the tips here

Eight Things You Should Do Before Anything Else in Your Hotel Room

 

BTW- I think these tips are doubly important when traveling abroad to some of the less industrialized countries such as those I am targeting in Central America.

I'm Just Sayin!

Boomer Travel Tips - Lost your camera while traveling? There's help

I stumbled upon some information I thought I would share with you today regarding lost cameras.

How many of you have experienced the frustration of losing your camera?  This is especially unnerving if it happens while you are traveling. Maybe you just set your camera down someplace while you were on a plane, a bus or a train or eating out and forgot to pick it up when you were ready to leave. The reality hits you like a ton of brick later when you reach for it and discover, its not there!

Fortunately, you can get help fast and easy these days. There are several services available. One such free service (CameraTrace) is on the internet and will help you trace your lost or stolen camera.

It’s also worth registering with and looking through camerafound.com. This website features lost and found postings using a Google Maps platform. The exact locations of cameras are indicated by colored dots on the map. 

Or you might check ifoundyourcamera.net

Another simple and cheap way is to mark it with an anonymous id click

I try always keeping my camera on a strap around my neck but even that doesn't always work. It's nice to know there are a few options for possible retrieval.

Here's an uplifting story of one such lucky person

Amazing Story of Lost Photos Returned: Websites Offer Recovery Hope