 Christmas is over and the New Year is almost here! Happy "Whatever Day It Is" Lol I hope you have time off with your loved ones and are able to relax and enjoy yourself. Happily, I've met my deadlines for 2019 on all new projects and am working away to meet the 2020 deadlines now. These new projects have made the holidays more stressed, but we still managed to visit friends, attend a cookie making party and have a great Christmas.  The snows came early...  But it did make it feel more festive.  I so love we only have a few days a year of this. It makes the snow magical and special, not a chore.  It also makes it a great time to drink tea and consuming large amounts of freshly baked cookies by the fire, lol  (I was diffusing Christmas Wreath, its AMAZING) and working away.  I confess to wearing shorts and long socks lol. #Winter  A dear friend sent me tea from the UK. He spent a ridiculous amount of money on the shipping, but it was very appreciated on these cold days.  Warm tea and Vegan snacks - make the work day so much better, lol  These past few days have been all about Holiday planning for 2020. So many places I want to visit and so MANY projects happening. Catch you later~
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I was sitting at the bar in my kitchen today, (honestly texting) and had this odd feeling someone was looking at me....  I store my kale in a vase to keep it green longer, don't you?  I looked up and spotted this wee little Lady Bug on my Kale. Its cold here so I thought poor baby must be dead. But I gently picked it off the kale and found it to be very much alive.  His name is Barney and he now lives in the Avocado Jungle (aka my den) lol Stay tuned for more of Barney's adventures lol.
 You just need to do a little planning in advance to find the most eco-friendly travel options, but trust me it can be done. Eco-Friendly Transportation 1. Getting There Planes, trains, and automobiles... Of these, planes are the worst, but if you fly on an airline that has taken measures to reduce their carbon footprint by eliminating excess waste and recycling as much as possible, it will be better. Southwest is an airline you might want to consider which has done a lot to reduce their carbon footprint. What about trains? Trains are a very scenic way to travel and they are not terrible on the environment. Automobiles? If you are making a road trip, then consider renting a hybrid vehicle if you don’t currently own one.  2. Hotels
Look for hotels that use green programs. Also check the hotels location and make sure there is plenty of public transportation nearby that you can use. Once in your hotel, notify them that you don’t need new towels every day. Turn lights off when you leave the room and adjust the thermostat when you are not in the room to use less electricity. 3. Exploring/Sightseeing Even though you checked your hotel to see that it has public transportation, also consider finding other ways to travel. If you stay in the city centers you will be able to walk to many places of interest, plus cafes and shops. You could also consider renting a bicycle for the week and traveling by bike. 4. Leave It Cleaner Than When You Got There It is always good practice to pick up trash when you see it. It can help balance out your carbon footprint and is just the right thing to do. 5. Shopping Also shopping at local farms, farmers markets and small fruit stands while you are away, instead of the grocery store is another way to reduce your carbon foot-print. You will find fresh, local produce and save money too. Staycations are also a great way to reduce your carbon footprint by exploring things right in your own area and being in nature. Travel definitely takes its toll on the environment, but if you do choose to go away, you can still reduce your carbon footprint when you travel. How do you approach an eco-friendly vacation?  Phew. I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by. As I'm packing for a quick (I will only be gone a week this time) trip I was thinking about Arline Apps. Someone ask me, the other day if I used them and the answer is: Of course!  Because even if you uninstall them on your way home from the airport, I totally recommend tracking your plane and downloading that boarding pass onto an airline app.
Let’s be real: you’ll be looking at your phone anyway... Why not have it let you know if your gate changes or if your flight is delayed. There are about a million travel hacks out there, but I download airline and train apps and actually USE them. And as I said, you can always delete afterwards. I have deleted most of my European apps, but (wink) I maybe reinstalling them again soon. See you at the airport~ Greetings 'Net Family, This is very important now. Mega serious stuff. Are you ready? I need to know … what’s your Secret Must Watch TV? Go ahead, let it out. You’ll feel better, and there’s no TV shaming here. I’ll even go first. I’ve been watching — remember, no judging — GOT because I have company and they apparently are Amish cave dwellers (not really) and have never seen any of it. #WTF?!  Winter is here and we are marathoning all the shows... So as most of you know, I usually have the TV viewing habits of a teenage girl. This means I watch all the CW shows. Don’t judge me. But I also watch most all science fiction/fantasy and odd foreign films (okay, anime) lol, that I can get my hands on. But lately I just haven't been finding anything new to obsess over. And did I mention it's snowing and the city is shut down?  The weather is cold, windy and unpleasant, so I'm looking for new, addictive shows, dear family. So please share your obsessions below or via email.
Speak soon, I have another season of GOT to plow through ~  Read Part One Here: Travel Fees and How to Avoid Them It’s been my experience that frequent flier programs are not all that. Be careful when it comes to using frequent flyer programs, because they sometimes impose fees on your supposed free flights. These could include a fuel charge, airport fees, and redemption charges when you cash in the miles. #Fail Whats a fuel charge? Fuel surcharges are another tricky fee to avoid. They are often tacked onto your frequent flyer miles, and to small children who don’t take up a seat. International flights will be the most expensive. It pays to compare costs carefully. The cheap fare you see may not be so cheap after all if the airline imposes fuel surcharges or other hidden fees.  And don’t get me started on checked bag fees! Most of the so called budget airlines will stick you will a $35 and up bag fee (each way) if you want to bring more than just a carry-on bag. As one of my friends points out this is the “Fly Naked” deal. Its cheap airfare if you don’t need more than a backpack, but if you are spending anytime anywhere your gonna need luggage and you will end up paying for that privilege. So if you plan on a trip longer than a few days, you will be adding a bag and a charge to the ticket price. But pack lightly, and beware overweight baggage fees. Over the limit fees can be exorbitant! If you are checking a bag, avoid adding even more fees by making sure you don’t over-pack. Weigh your luggage before you leave to avoid any surprises. Other fees on budget airlines you may be tempted to opt for are priority boarding and seat upgrades.  Note me sitting in the extended leg room seats whenever possible, lol Personally being 5’9 I usually buy extend leg room, unless it is more than the ticket, (yes, I’ve seen that). But priority boarding, if I have an assigned seat isn't an issue and can add another $10 - $25 per ticket, depending on the airlines. The only downside is you may not be able to put your luggage in the bin over your seat. But is that worth $25 to you? Personally I’d rather board towards the end, walk to my seat and take off, rather than sit for 10-15 minutes while people push by. But that’s totally up to you.  Aaah....the hurry up and wait of boarding. Car Rental Fees When renting a car, check to make sure the fee includes everything, with no added extras. Remember that your credit card will offer travel protection for collisions, so you might not need additional insurance. But it is always wise to call your credit card company before your trip to see if you have limited coverage out of state or out of country. I was picking up a car at Heathrow (London airport) and witnessed an American woman crying over the fact she thought she was covered until her insurance company found the international loop hole and she was on the hook for an extra $10,000USD in damages from the rental company. #TrueStory  Also beware key replacement, alternate drop-off locations, taxes and fuel surcharges can all be tacked on to the final car rental bill. Picking up a car in one state and dropping off in another usually cost me an extra $200USD. #AlsoTrueStory And there will also be a charge if the gas tank isn't at the level you picked it up at. It is always more affordable to top it off yourself, rather than opting for them to fill it for you.  Next time we will discuss accommodations and the hidden fees of some hotels and vacation rentals. Think those fees are small? I’ve seen hotel parking in New Orleans for an astonishing $45 a day! Along with holiday house fees you might not know about.
Until then~ |
Author Welcome to my travel blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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