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The cheapest gifts in Ixtapan De la Sal near Ixtapan Spa
Here are the ‘budget’ gifts usually bring back from Mexico, and they are sold in Ixtapan de la Sal
(home of Ixtapan Spa):
1- Vanilla. Vanilla is cheap in Mexico, not as sweet as the Asian one but rich and fantastic in things like rice pudding and other creamy foods. Cost: $3 ish
2- Tajin: a mix of sea salt, chili, and desiccated lime. Makes the dullest food taste amazing with a slight pop and a lime aftertaste. All-natural. Cost $1 more or less.… -
How to get a cheaper ticket to unusual destinations
Here is a way to experiment with an on-line search for airline tickets. I needed a ticket to Pisa for our Italian Cooking Tour March 29-April 5, 2014. Pisa is not a major airport but it is served by British Airways an American Airlines code share in One World. I searched first on American as I am a fflyer and prefer to have the miles added there. AA schedules with British Airways, so I could get there easily on the aa.com…
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Exploding Cosmetics: Warning for Women Travelers
Recently I was on a plane and decided to reapply lip gloss before we landed. The pressure of the plane made the gloss explode and worst the metallic sheen of the gloss penetrated my clothes and leather bag. This can happen with any cosmetic, so how will you know ahead of time?
1- Tubes are culprits: so squeeze out all the air before you get on the plane, close quickly.
2- You may also tap containers of all kinds, it to get the air to the top before you open them.… -
Free tickets from United
United accidentally loaded $0 fares into its computer system and sold them on line. Some passengers got tickets for $5 or $10 but we do not know if United will honor these.
Join us to India nov 7-21 and use a ff ticket…
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Falls with Water not Bruises
I am about to see my fourth major waterfall in August with our tour to Argentina.
Here is the list so far:Victoria Falls and make sure you have time,as there is also game viewing in that area.
Angel Falls in a remote area of Venezuela,but this magnificent territory is no longer easy to visit. We did a group tour there years ago–a million acres of rain forest.
Blue Nile Falls is in Ethiopia and our group visited in March of this year.…
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Earplugs not Earrings: Travel Tips for Women
In a British hospital having my first son, Nick, a nurse told me to buy earplugs to block noise, when he was in the nursery. In Britain in those days, mothers recovered from childbirth in a room with 5 others and all 6 babies. One or two nights the babies stayed in the nursery to give us rest before going home.
Earplugs have been my best friend ever since. If you are a light sleeper or just want extra guarantees while traveling, invest in earplugs.…
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Women's Jeans for Traveling: what do you think?
A number of women responded to the comment that Jeans make American women targets overseas.
Here is why I don’t wear jeans anymore on trips:
They are heavy. Switch them out of your travel wardrobe, and switch in lightweight conservative colored walking/hiking pants. These can look like street clothes if you choose the ones without leg pockets. I wear Royal Robbins, LL Bean, Columbia, but there are many. I look for those that have hidden pockets and deep ones. (Great places to tuck some money for incidentals).…
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Choosing the least crowded airport
If you can choose between more than one airport, choose the long distance international one for long weekends and the short haul domestic one for long vacation periods.
Here is the example, on July 4 weekends out of NY, JFK is empty but LaGuardia mobbed. Most people are traveling for 3-4 days short distances from LaGuardia. So if you can find a flight from JFK to your destination, use it for a less crowded terminal experience. On traditional longer holiday period like Christmas / New Year the opposite might work out better.…
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Hating Fellow Travelers
Summer brings heat, humidity, thunderstorms, and delays. I hate everyone within two feet of me, under those circumstances, even more so, in a crowded airport with pesky passengers.
Create your own “dome” with a– good junk book preferably paperback so you can toss it after the flight. b– your own bottles of water even at crazy prices paid in airports c– some nibbles that are half healthful half naughty (Trader Joe’s trail mixes are full of good and bad ingredients) d- clothes with easy slip-on slip-off shoes and minimum zippers (give in to elastic waistbands here), e- an attitude that allows those in more discomfort to go ahead of you.…
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Horrible Hotel Amenities?
Even if you do not use the products, take hotel amenity bottles home. Why?
They have measurements on the labels showing their liquid content.You can refill them with your own products, in order to pass TSA liquid carry on security standards. If you are taking a quick weekend trip, say over July 4, you might want to go carry on. An obstacle might be the size of your personal products. Most plastic bottles sold as ‘travel kits’ have no labels and will NOT work for carrying on even if tiny.…