3FLOZ.COM: Interesting Products for Travelers

I just got this in my inbox - looks interesting for those of us who travel a lot and end up turning our hair care products over at the gate or are already so frustrated we have just resigned ourselves to doing without personal grooming items while on the road.  Eye cream?  Who needs it?  Tootpaste?  I'll just chew some gum!  You know who you are.  And if deep down inside you want to be clean and stylish while sitting in conference rooms all over this country's grandest mid-sized cities, this site has an assortment of beauty products from scores of different brands for men and women in flight-friendly sizes. 

Flight 001 Sale & Giveaway

In an effort to make the sting of air travel a tiny bit more tolerable, Flight 001 is having a special sale from June 26th to June 30th in their store locations. It's 10-20% all luggage, bags and travel i.d. As they put it, "Sweet discounts on the most stylish and functional travel products to make up for the extra fees."

Those extra fees are really PISSING ME OFF! Realize, that you cannot check ONE bag for free. At least not on American or United. So, it's nice to see someone acknowledging this ridiculous new airline business practice that surely will not be able to withstand the test of time and air rage.

Anyway, you can also enter the Flight 001 Experience giveaway to Grenada contest from Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hotel Collection (register through Aug. 31).

New York - Brooklyn - Los Angeles - San Francisco - Berkeley - Chicago - Dubai

Travelling on a Weak Dollar

I am taking a day off and presenting you with some travel tidbits from a contributing blogger. Heather Johnson is an industry critic, as well as a regular contributor on the subject of airline mile cards. Enjoy...

It’s time to stop blaming whomever is in charge of the economy and how the dollar pales in comparison to the Euro. Bottom line: people are still going to travel. If you’re used to staying in posh London for a jet-setting weekend, get geared up for a domestic flight to Chicago and get holed up in a Days Inn. Whatever you’re accustomed to is going to take a hit during these dog days of the weak dollar, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to have to become a hermit. Here are ways you can still go away on a tighter budget:

Hotel? No. B&B? Yes. You’ll save half on a night in a bed and breakfast than at a hotel, plus you’ll get a free meal and a cozier room. Yes, cozy often meaning tiny. But cozy nevertheless.

Skip the Hard Rock. If you’re in a foreign city, then expect them to speak their own language. If you’re searching for a place that advertises, “We Speak English,” then you’re asking to pay through the nose. They’re going to know you’re a tourist and they’ll make you pay like a tourist.

Travel during off-peak times. You only go to Paris in the summer? Tough luck. It’s time to start looking around for deals and major cities like Paris, London and Rome are fascinating at any time of the year, plus much cheaper destinations when you go off-season.

Trust the guidebook. If you’re eager to see the sights on your first day in Europe then save the potentially thousands on a guided tour and pick up a reputable guidebook. It will give you the same walking or driving tour that some local yahoo is looking to charge you tons for.

Hit up your friends and relatives. Got a distant cousin in Ireland? An aunt in Italy? Get in touch with them and make arrangements to stay with them. Use it as a chance to “get caught up,” but you’re really going to save a bundle on lodging.

Localize your tastes. If you’re used to drinking coffee and eating doughnuts every morning then take a look around and realize what country you’re in. They drink tea in London and drink beer in Germany. The customary local fare is always going to be cheaper than the novelty that you’re about to order.

Buses are cheaper than trains. The romantic train ride is going to cost you. The bumpy bus ride is going to save you. Especially in the British Isles, traveling by bus is the cheapest route. Depending on the length of your journey, you might save a hundred bucks – or euros!

Heather invites your questions, comments and inquiries. You can contact her at: heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.