Travel with Extra Oxygen

Did you know that you can also travel with extra oxygen? I am sure majority would say a big “No”. Till last midnight, I was also on the same page. But, now I can say it is indeed possible. I came across a website “Oxygen Freedom“. They deal in portable oxygen concentrators.

The use of oxygen concentrators began in July 2005 when FAA approved portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) for use during flight.

What is Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

A Portable Oxygen Concentrator is a lightweight unit that can run on AC, DC and battery power. This allows users to remain away from home for indefinite periods of time while using a portable oxygen concentrator. The development of the portable oxygen concentrator has opened endless possibilities for oxygen dependent people. Oxygen patients are free to travel like never before.

Currently, the following airlines allow the use of the portable oxygen concentrators onboard their aircraft:

• Air France
• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• Aloha Airlines
• American Airlines
• America West
• ATA Airlines
• Avianca Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• Delta
• Frontier
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Horizon Air
• Lufthansa
• Mango
• Mesa Airlines
• Midwest Airlines
• Northwest Airlines
• Qantas
• SAS Airlines
• Sky West
• South African Airways
• Southwest
• Sun Country
• US Airways
• WestJet Airlines

Carry-on liquid ban will stay for foreseeable future

You are out of luck if you’re hoping for a change to Transportation Security Administration’s ban taking liquids and gels past security in your carry-on luggage. Those restrictions are “here for the foreseeable future,” Kathy Kraninger, director of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Office of Screening Coordination, says to Travel Weekly (free registration). The TSA first put the liquid and gel restrictions on carry-on luggage in August after a British authorities uncovered a terrorist plot to use liquid explosives on trans-Atlantic aircraft.

Those rules were somewhat relaxed in September when fliers got the OK to carry liquids and gels such as toothpaste and contact solution past security in containers of three ounces or less. Even then, liquids were still required to be placed in a single quart-sized, clear plastic zip-top bags to clear security. Despite the relaxation, the ban has remained unpopular with many fliers. Travel Weekly says Kraninger made her comments in “responding to a delegate’s question following her speech to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ conference [in Miami.] Kraninger said the DHS has not identified technology up to the task of identifying liquid explosive materials.”

10 great places to take the kids on a bike ride

May is National Bike Month, a great time for a family ride. Michael Frank, executive editor of Mountain Bike, shares his recommendations for car-free, scenic and relatively flat trails with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY

Forest Park -Portland, Ore.

Forest Park is true to its name — and at 5,161 acres, it’s the largest fully forested natural inner city park in the USA. “Enter and you’d swear you’re very far from civilization,” Frank says. “The niftiest way to see the park is via Leif Erikson Drive, an 11.2-mile, relatively flat dirt road that bisects the greenbelt and is shared by joggers, hikers, and cyclists.” 503-823-2223; www.portlandparks.org

Burke-Gilman Trail – Seattle

“The 27-mile Burke-Gilman Trail goes along scenic Lake Washington, and rolls by wineries (Columbia, Chateau Ste. Michelle) and excellent restaurants such as the Herbfarm in Woodinville, ultimately linking up to the East Lake Sammamish River Trail,” Frank says. “The newly opened 11-mile addition offers stunning views of Mount Rainier.” 206-684-4075.

Griffith Park – Los Angeles

This urban park in the heart of the city, home to the L.A. Zoo and the Griffith Observatory, is also rugged enough to harbor wildlife like foxes and deer. “While this isn’t a cyclist’s paradise, it’s a great place for families to ride from attraction to attraction, including several playgrounds, a bird sanctuary, and a merry-go-round,” Frank says. “The best loop runs along Crystal Springs Drive and Zoo Drive, then rolls back along the Los Angeles River and ends on Los Feliz Boulevard near the main entrance.” 323-913-4688.

The Best U.S. Rose Gardens

I just saw a post in TravelPost.com which has the list of best Rose Gardens to visit in United States.

Flowers are something which excites everyone. This is something which I can not afford to miss. I will surely visit all these places mentioned.

Here’s the details.

1. International Rose Test Garden Washington Park – Portland, Oregon
2. Rose Garden in Woodland Park Zoo – Seattle, Washington
3. Lyndale Park Rose Garden – Minneapolis, Minnesota
4. McKinley Park Rose Garden – Sacramento, California
5. The Centennial Rose Garden, Schmidt Mansion – Tumwater, Washington
6. Elizabeth Park Rose Garden – Hartford, Connecticut
7. Mesa Community College Rose Garden – Mesa, Arizona
8. Chicago Botanic Gardens – Glencoe, Illinios – north of Chicago, Illinois
9. The John E. Voight Trial Garden – Hales Corners, Wisconsin
10. Tyler Rose Garden – Tyler, Texas

Enjoy!

St.Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale Opens

The 166-room St. Regis Resort Fort Lauderdale has opened on Florida’s Gold Coast. Located on the beachfront promenade, the resort features a 5,000-bottle wine room with a separate cellar that can be reserved for private events. Each room and suite offers a view of either the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway and features leather furnishings, 1940s-era black and white photographs on the walls, wi-fi, DVD players, second TVs in the bathrooms, silk robes, Pratesi linens and Remede bath amenities.

The property is offering several specials to celebrate its grand opening. With the Luxury Has a New Address package, guests will receive a complimentary upgrade to a higher room category, a Remede Complete Treatment Spa Gift and a $50 food and beverage credit. The Magic of Four package offers guests who stay three nights a fourth night for free.

Do you plan to visit the St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale? When you get back, review it for us!

This Summer can ruin the party for air travellers

According to the Devner Post, “if thunderstorms hit this summer, airline travel could be a string of hassles and delays” all over again. Many airlines are leaner and operating fuller flights, while some carriers’ pilots and other employees are butting heads with management over executive compensation and labor contracts. Meanwhile, federal officials are trying to work with an aging air-traffic-control system,” the paper writes.

“We’re very concerned about this summer’s airline schedule,” John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, says to the Post. “I believe it’s going to be as bad as the summer of 2000.” Prater points out that many airlines have replaced bigger planes with more-frequent flights on smaller aircraft. That, he says, makes problems more likely. “You’ve got more business jets in the air, and you’ve got an air-traffic-control system that has not been modernized. There’s not any more runways. … That combination is not good for our industry,” he says.

Airlines, on the other hand, say they’re staffed to handle the always-busy summer travel season. At United, which set its record in March by filling 85% of its seats for the month, spokeswoman Jean Medina tells the Post that the carrier is “staffed to meet the travel needs of our customers.” Linda Rawlings, owner of Denver travel agency Travel Advocate, isn’t so sure. She’s going as far as to recommend customers pad itineraries with several extra days to guard against the possibility of flight disruptions. “There really isn’t any give in the system,” Rawlings tells the Post. “If a flight cancels out, you used to be able to say, ‘Oh, well, it’s no problem. We’ll just move you to the next one.’ Well, the next one is full. And none of the carriers want to move you to a different airline.”

Know how you can Cancel your Hotel Reservations

The Chicago Tribune’s Cost of Canceling is in the Fine Print highlights cancellation policies at Expedia and other sites. The story reminded me of some basics hotel travelers should keep in mind when making and canceling hotel reservations.

Know the cancellation policy before you book. When you make your reservation, whether by phone or online, make sure to hunt down the hotel or web site’s cancellation policy. And remember that cancellation policies may vary depending on the rate you choose. For example, super-cheap Internet rates can have no-cancellation rules written right into the fine print. Paying slightly more for the same room might give you more flexibility.

Call the vendor first. If you have to cancel your reservation, your first point of contact should be the company through which you made your reservation. If you made a reservation through Travelocity and you discover you have to cancel it at the last minute (say, because your flight got delayed or canceled), call Travelocity’s customer service before contacting the hotel directly.

Keep important customer service numbers on hand. When traveling, it can be a big help to have customer service phone numbers for airlines, hotels and online travel agents. If you get stranded at the airport, you can get help with your contingent travel plans and reservations as efficiently as possible.

Cancel the whole reservation. When you cancel a hotel reservation for multiple days or with multiple rooms, make sure to confirm with the company that you’ve actually canceled everything associated with the reservation and not just part of the trip.

Ask for a cancellation confirmation. When you do cancel a hotel reservation, print out the cancellation confirmation you receive online or ask the customer service representative to send you a copy via email or regular mail. This will be helpful if charges still end up on your credit card.

Lastly, my advice when canceling a reservation is to do it over the phone. I find that making reservations is easiest online, but I have less confidence in canceling them that way. I’d rather speak to a person who can tell me what, if any, cancellation penalty charges I am responsible for and when they will appear on my credit card.

Citysearch’s Best Hotels Nationwide 2007

Citysearch has just posted its editorial round-up of the Best Hotels Nationwide 2007. You’ll find winners for major cities around the U.S. in the following categories:

* Best Airport Hotel

* Best Bed and Breakfast Hotel

* Best Boutique Hotel

* Best Budget Hotel

* Best Business Hotel

* Best Family-Friendly Hotel

* Best Dining Hotel

* Best Luxury Hotel

* Best Pet-Friendly Hotel

* Best Romantic Hotel

* Best Tourist Hotel

* Best Weekend Getaway Hotel

A lot of web site come up with top ten lists, but Citysearch bases its winners on votes from its site visitors – and over here at TravelPost.com, we love travel advice generated by real people. Check ‘em out before you check in…

10 Worst Cities to Holiday

In Spanish, there is a Slang de mala muerte, which means ‘a bad place to die in’. Road Junky decided to gather together 10 of the worst cities in the world to visit, destinations that the traveler would only ever spend any time if he were a masochistic connoisseur of bad places to die.

Warsaw, San Salvador and Delhi missed the list. For better or for worse, these cities did not make the list. Some surprising ones did. In fact, you may be living in one of them right now (enter scary wind chime music in the background). Read on. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Here’s the List

1. Bombay
2. Dubai
3. Liverpool & Manchester
4. Any American Suburb
5. Guatemala City
6. Sao Paolo
7. Beijing
8. Singapore
9. Milan
10. Cancun

Thank GOD, I am not staying in any of the mentioned cities…

Luxury Camping in Sequoia National Park

I’ve blogged before about luxury camping at California destinations like Costanoa Coastal Lodge and Camp, where guests can camp in a gorgeous outdoor setting with luxuries like steam rooms, fireplaces, wi-fi and gourmet meals just steps away.

Now there’s a newcomer to the California luxury camping scene: The Sequoia High Sierra Camp in California’s Sequoia National Park. Guests can either drive most of the way into the camp and hike one mile to the actual site or approach it like a backcountry adventure with a 11-mile hike in. Once there, the camp’s 36 canvas bungalows offer perks like pillow-top mattresses, reading lanterns, coffeemakers and daily maid service. Of course, there’s still a rustic element: campers have to walk to the shared bathroom facilities. But it doesn’t get rougher than that.

The bathrooms offer towels, toiletries and dressing rooms. The $250/person per night rate does sound a bit steep, but at least it includes three gourmet meals each day – one being a “pack your own” picnic lunch. That means way more room in your pack for fun stuff. Like wine! Or extra camera equipment to photograph the 2 million acres of wilderness that surrounds the camp. Reservations are now being accepted for the summer season, which runs June 15-October 7, 2007.