TEFL certification to teach and travel for under $100

I spent a couple years traveling the world while teaching online full-time, and many folks are interested in how I did it. So, here's the lowdown.
 First, I graduated from college with a BA in Linguistics. One of the very few things this prepares you to do is teach English as a foreign/second language. That worked out well! The second thing I did, which is much easier/cheaper/quicker, is I bought a Groupon for an online, accredited TEFL/TESOL course. I used a coupon code and got it for $69. Then I sat at a computer during my time off from work for a week straight and banged out the complete course.

$69 and one week later, I was a certified TEFL teacher.

Groupon now has a huge number of TEFL courses, but be careful: not all are accredited. Some are scams. I emailed them about one I mistakenly bought, and while they refunded my money, they didn't take it down. The company I used is TEFL Express, which currently has two Groupons running for different prices. You can buy the Groupon here! (I make no money off this, unfortunately.) If your course is 120+ hours, you should have no problem finding work. (A college degree helps, but is not always required.) Note that this doesn't certify you to be a classroom teacher in public US/UK schools, and it doesn't get you as far as the internationally-accepted CELTA course, but it also costs a tiny fraction of that.

Now, is the course actually good? I'd have to give that a resounding "eh, kind of." It covers a lot, including grammar, phonetics, teaching skills, and probably more things that I don't remember. My degree in linguistics made the course a breeze, but really, it doesn't ask much of you, and you may learn best by being in an actual classroom and having actual student-teacher time. There were some typos and errors, especially toward the end of the course, which made it seem unprofessional. Also, doing the whole course in a week makes it breeze by, and I forgot a lot of what I learned (but you might get quite a lot out of it if you take your time and review your notes). That said, it opened up a lot of doors. As soon as I got my certificate, I sent out my resume to a million English-teaching jobs, and I got a number of interviews and one job offer, which happened to be online and happened to allow me to travel the world. Some English-teaching jobs don't require a TEFL certification, but do prefer it, (like the one I got!) so for under $100, it's worth it to get a leg up.

Your first year of teaching will always be a challenge no matter how prepared you think you are, so if you feel like the online course isn't enough and you want some extra experience, why not take the cheap online course and then do some volunteering in your community? You'll find that many organizations or individuals are thrilled to have a certified English teacher, so you get to have your teaching experience without paying top dollar for your TEFL certification. However, if you know English teaching in English-speaking countries is what you want to do as a career, then you might be better served by taking a CELTA course or a full teacher certification course at a college. In my case, I had teaching experience and just wanted something on paper to prove it; I've only seen a handful of job listings that aren't in the US or UK that require CELTA or similar.

All in all, I definitely recommend this route if you want to get your foot in the door cheaply and quickly.


Next up: an alternate nearly-free way to get a TEFL certificate with Angloville...

Norwegian announces $69 flights between UK and US

Norwegian has once again teased us with announcements of under-£60 one-way flights between Edinburgh and New York,
allegedly starting June 2017. Is it for real? They have been talking about it for many months. I'm on the edge of my seat!


Their flights currently start as low as $110 between Europe and the US, and more like $150 or $250 from London. Checked luggage and food are extra, but on the whole, flying Norwegian is a pretty pleasant experience.

WowAir 50% off sale

WowAir is having a 50% off sale today only, using promo code WOWXMAS16. Some conditions apply, but GO GO GO!

WowAir flies between the US, Iceland, and Europe starting at $99 one-way, before the promo code.


Now, remember that WowAir is pretty barebones, so read all the fine print and check the baggage policy!

Uber USA promo code for $20 off! Existing customers, too!

Uber is having a big ol' sale for $20 off rides in the US to discourage drunk driving. Discouraging drunk driving is great! Sales are great! Check it out!

Koh Samet: Bangkok's delightful beach getaway

Hello, blogopals! Sorry I've been pants at updating; I just got back from a delightful mini-vacation on Koh Samet (sometimes spelled Ko Samed, Koh Samed, or any variation therein). Koh Samet is a tropical island just under four hours' bus ride southeast of Bangkok,
and it is just about everything I want from a tropical island, except monkeys. I didn't see any monkeys.

Lots of adorable dogs, though.

Cost + how to get there from Bangkok:

Bus from Ekkamai bus station in Eastern Bangkok to Ban Phe pier + ferry ticket from Ban Phe pier, round trip: 393 thb ($11 USD).

Boats!

That's it! You just hop on the semi-hourly bus at Ekkamai, hop off at the pier, take an hourly ferry, and you're there, for $11 round trip. Easy as pie. The buses and ferries only run until 6 or 7 PM (depending on which direction you're going), so don't plan to leave late at night, but they have schedules at the bus station, and they even gave me a little schedule when I bought my ticket.

Somebody put an enormous shirt and skirt on this enormous statue.
Is she supposed to wear that? Why is it there? We may never know.

Where to stay:

There are no couchsurfing hosts on the island, unfortunately.

We looked around online a bit on the bus, but decided not to book anything until we got to the island. We found loads of rooms in town (a bit traffic-y and polluted for our tastes) and right on the beach for between 600 and 1200 thb for a fan room, and up to 1500 or higher for AC. Most beachfront bungalows (complete with beachfront bugs and cold showers) were around 800 or 1000 thb, but we stayed at the White Sands Resort for only 600, which was the cheapest place we could find. We later discovered that the sign said 800, so I'm not sure why they only asked for 600, but hey, who's complaining? It was good enough for one night; we had a lot of tiny insect friends - inside and outside had nearly the same number of bugs - but that just encouraged us to spend more time out on the beach rather than being boring in our room, so no harm done.

Our bungalow. Well, half of the building was ours.

There is only one hostel - Olly's - on the island, which has tiny individual air-conditioned sleeping pods for 471 thb a night, but price-wise, that only makes sense for single travelers.

Food:

There are restaurants everywhere, and I was surprised to see prices often double or triple what they would be in Bangkok, or even on the other side of the water on the Ban Phe pier. That said, 80 or 90 thb for a meal isn't really going to kill me for a couple days. Food options along the beach tended to be mostly Thai food and seafood, and there were a lot of Western options in town. All the food we had was pretty mediocre, but we had some great drinks...

Drinks:

Our very favorite bar.

When your friends are getting buffeted by snowstorms, and you are in Thailand, the only thing left to do is to send them a photo of yourself sipping a pina colada on the beach. Thankfully, the beachfront is full of "happy hour" specials. The Naga bar offered 80 thb happy hour cocktails, the lowest price we saw. I got a heck of a "blue pina colada," most likely made with fresh coconut milk, from a nameless, secluded bar, and although they didn't advertise happy hour, we asked, and they offered (sadly small, but delicious) cocktails for 90 thb. I'm not totally convinced they knew what we were talking about, as the drinks didn't taste like they had alcohol in them, so maybe they thought we were asking about mocktails and that's why they were cheaper, but whatever, it was delicious.

After that, we made our way to our little resort and the nearby Friendly Bar, where it is seemingly always happy hour. According to the sign, happy hour is until 10 PM, but the enthusiastic bar staff were exclaiming "happy hour!" until at least 11. 100 thb cocktails isn't exactly an inspiring price, but when you're reclining on those funny pillow-reclining-mattress things that they all have, watching the waves, and enjoying the actually-pleasant cool season weather, 100 thb seems reasonable for a strong and tasty cocktail.

Ooh, pretty lights.

Other costs:

There really aren't any other costs. The island is small, so we just walked everywhere. We sat in a beach chair under an umbrella, and a guy came up to us asking for 60 thb per chair, which is really pretty reasonable, as we kept our stuff there all day. Of course, you're also free to chill out on the beach for free. People occasionally came by trying to sell things, but it was nothing like the constant hawking of Pattaya.

All in all, Koh Samet was fantastic, and I hope to go back soon!

Cyber Monday backpack and gear sale

In honor of Cyber Monday, Black Friday's confusing little brother, there are some awesome sales going on today. Eastern Mountain Sports, a reputable outdoor gear store in the US, is having some incredible doorbusters,
including 40-50% off some amazing Osprey backpacks, as well as all sorts of camping and general traveling-and-outdoorsy gear. My favorite backpack ever is the Osprey Aura AG 50; as someone with some back problems, it really is the only backpack that I can wear all day without wanting to take it off. Plus it's hella sleek! Some of their other backpacks now have that AG anti-gravity technology (wow! It's like we're in the future!), too. Good backpacks, especially Osprey, are often suuuper expensive, though, so this sale could save you a hundred bucks. Check it out!

Plus, get 20% off one regular and one clearance item with the code CYBER. Wow, what a bargain!

AND there's free shipping on everything!


How much do I wish I was in America right now to get these sweet deals shipped to me?? So much! LET ME LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOU.

Overnight train adventure from Malaysia to Bangkok

Happy Thanksgiving, blogpals! Sorry it's been so long. Things have been a little crazy. For one thing, I just got back from a whirlwind one-and-a-half-day trip to Malaysia!

My job in Bangkok is busiest on weekends, so I end up getting two days off each week, often next to each other, and this month, often Tuesday and Wednesday. I've decided to try to make the most of it and travel each "weekend." A couple couchsurfing buddies were planning to hitchhike to Kuala Lumpur (KL for the cool kids in the know), and I figured maybe I'd be able to meet up with them. We didn't end up meeting up, but I had a great time anyway, and made even more couchsurfing buddies!

Look at all of the monkeys!

Here's how I did it, transportation-wise:

Tuesday, 5:55 AM: Flight from Bangkok to KL ($53, 1-2 hours).
Tuesday, daytime: Explore KL; meet up with couchsurfing host; have LOADS OF FUN!

Wednesday, 7:01 AM: Train towards Bangkok (2 hours), watch the second half of Robocop on the fancy little TV screen at the front of the train car while trying to look at scenery; stop off at Ipoh to explore this heavily-Indian historic town ($7.75, but actually a little less because I didn't end up having enough cash and there was no ATM, so some very kind people chipped in a couple bucks at 6:58 AM).

Freshly made egg roti at a little restaurant in Ipoh + sauces. Cost: 2.20 MYR, or 50 cents

Wednesday, 1 PM: Train from Ipoh up to the border of Thailand (Padang Besar, 2-3 hours, $16), watch Robocop again, the first half this time, still trying to look at scenery. But that's OK because Robocop will loop again, and at this point I have basically seen the whole thing in disjointed, scenic chunks.

Scenery out a slightly grubby window

Wednesday, 4 PM: At the train station, go through Malaysian passport control (quick 'n' easy), then cross the border into Thailand (I guess I was crossing the border? My data plan started working again so that's promising) by going into the next room and going through Thai passport control (somewhat slower 'n' easy).
Wednesday, 5 PM: Turn on my phone's data and enjoy the many hours of Facebooking and flight deals that I have missed out on.
Wednesday, 6:40 PM: Train from the border (Padang Besar) alllll the way to Bangkok, arriving in Bangkok at around noon (scheduled for 10:30 but it's always late). I had a fantastic time on the overnight train, and I plan to take as many Thai overnight trains as possible! More details to come.

Meanwhile, if you want the lowdown on train travel around Thailand and the surrounding countries, and really any country in the world, check out seat61.com. The Thai Railways official website does not have a real English version; you can click the "English" link, but it doesn't really do anything. Seat61 is impressive not only in its scope but in its accuracy as well: the train times were spot-on, down to the minute!

Black Friday travel sales, updated in real time!

It's Black Friday, kids, and you know what that means: GO BUY A LOT OF THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU WANTED!



But ALSO, it means a lot of planes, trains, 'n' automobiles are having SALES!

Here's the best of the best, updated in real time as the deals go up:

1. London Midland trains in England are 50% off for advanced tickets.

2. Norwegian Airlines is 20-30% off on ALL flights, including flights to the US, Europe, and Bangkok. Sample trip: New York to Stockholm for under 210 euros round trip

2 PM edit: 3. Qatar Airways sale between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia


4 PM edit: 4. $1 1-week car rentals throughout Europe with GoldCar. This is probably going to sell out fast!

WowAir 20% off: all flight between US and Europe

Hi, all! Sorry it's been a while. To make up for it, here's a tip: WowAir is having a great sale, ending November 25 at midnight
(so, I'm guessing they mean when the clock strikes 00:00 on November 24/25): 20% off all flights, January 10 - April 10, between the US, Iceland, and Europe in either direction. Their prices start at just $99 one-way from the US East and West coast to Iceland, so for 20% off, it's an unthinkable bargain. Just use the code WOWPURPLEFRIDAY when you book. Check it out!

Business class error fare: Prague to Bangkok for 476 euros

If you have ever flown economy class from Europe to Asia, you know what a miserable experience it can be. Now, with this error fare, you only have to have a 50% miserable experience! Prague to Bangkok is business class; Bangkok to Prague is economy. Or you could pay a few hundred more and get business both ways, if you want to be fancy. Check it out!

Koh Chang: Thailand's cheap-as-chips paradise island

Thailand has some gorgeous beaches...and a whole lot of overdeveloped, polluted, party zones. If you're into parties, you have to check out the legendary monthly Full Moon Parties on Koh Phangan. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a super-cheap island getaway to relax on the beach, look at monkeys, and feel transported to a tropical paradise, Koh Chang is perfect.

Monkeys! An entire family of monkeys! So many monkeys! Baby monkeys! Grown monkeys! All kinds.

Pristine beaches with perfect waves, friendly locals, tons of cute bungalows tucked away throughout the island, and even some partying to be had at the bars in town. I hope Koh Chang never falls prey to the developers and their huge hotels; at the moment, the island seems to be proof that tourism can bring a place up, not down.

Look at these two cat friends!

It's a few hours from Bangkok - allegedly six hours by bus, and 4.5-5 by taxi - and then about 45 minutes by ferry. The bus ride is just $8ish, and you can also fly on a sweet fancy propeller plane with Bangkok Airways for a flat $76 one-way every day during the rainy season. (Looks like they raise it to $94 in the nicer cool season.) They're a "boutique airline," and what that means is that the plane is adorable and they give you a lot of snacks considering it's a precisely one hour flight.

View from the ferry

When I went, I flew there because my friend hates buses, and I ended up getting a private taxi home for about $20, because the the taxi driver lived in Bangkok anyway and was heading home for the evening. To keep it budget, I would take the bus instead of flying next time, as it hardly saves any time at all when you consider how far away the airports are.

Eh, could be worse

Now on to the good stuff. We pre-booked a room in a lovely-looking bungalow on AirBnB for like $17 a night. Do not make our mistake. It was waaaay up a huge hill, more like a mountain, really, and our room was COVERED IN ANTS. Like, we napped on the bed, and were picking ants off us the rest of the day. They did give us a different room after we complained a lot, and it did not have many ants. They were like, "Oh yeah, that room tends to get ants in the rainy season." It was one of those moments, let me tell you. Like...hm...OK...it is the rainy season. Maybe spray for ants before renting out the ant room? But anyway, so our place was OK but for around $5-20/night (depending on the type of room), we randomly found a gorgeous beachside resort with a great restaurant and the friendliest of dogs. The bungalows looked much nicer - more glamping than camping - and the beach was beautiful.

Hammocks are awesome

My recommendation is, especially if it's not high season, just show up and wander around until you find a good place to stay. For a beachside non-air-conditioned bungalow (sort of like the cabins back in summer camp), I'd expect to pay $5-10, depending on where you are on the island. Maaaybe $15, if it's a really nice place and you want air conditioning. Lack of AC isn't too bad on the island, though; even though it must be roughly the same temperature as Bangkok, it feels breezy and pleasant; it's beach weather!

The places online are higher-priced and overall no better - if not worse - than the places not online. That said, our place wasn't exactly terrible, just comparatively overpriced and inconvenient. When we went down the island maybe 20 miles, it seemed like every little restaurant or shop offered simple rooms for 150 thb (about $4-5) a night. Pretty cool! You can really live down on the island for dirt cheap.

Note: I visited during the rainy season, which is the off-season for tourism. Rooms may be harder to come by and more expensive during high season.

Trump wins: massive list of one-way flights out of the US to anywhere else

Secretflying, one of my favorite up-to-the-minute flight deal sites, has just released a master list of one-way flights from the US to anywhere else, departing in November. Remember that time you posted on Facebook that if Trump won, you were going to move to Switzerland? Make good on your word. Now's your chance.

New WowAir destination: Pittsburgh

You can now fly WowAir from Pittsburgh to Iceland and Europe! Flights start at $99 one-way to Iceland and $149 to such classic hits as Paris, London, Amsterdam, and many more. Check it out!

Traveling around Thailand: To bus, or not to bus?

That is the question.

Short answer: It depends on your budget and on how far you're going.

a typical minibus

Pros of busing and minibusing

1. Price. For about $8, you can get a bus from Bangkok down to the Koh Chang tropical paradise island maybe 5-6 hours away, no reservation necessary. (The ferry across is another couple dollars.) Minibuses generally cost about the same, maybe a tiny bit more.
2. Convenience. Unless you're staying way out of the city, there's going to be a bus or minibus station nearer than the airports. There's a huge minibus hub at Victory Monument (relocating to Ekkamai soon) with basically large minivans that go all over the country, but there are bus stations and minibuses around the city, too.
3. Stress-free. Getting to the airport early, going through security, blah blah blah...instead of worrying about missing your flight, just show up at the bus station and get the next available ticket. If it's not a holiday or weekend, you're probably fine, provided it won't kill you to wait an hour or two.
4. Time...sometimes. Buses tend to run all day until late (you can find out specifics online or at the station). The trains are generally less frequent and slower. 
5. Air conditioning! Almost everything is air conditioned. Buses can vary, though, so you can ask at the station.

a typical long-distance bus

Cons of busing and minibusing

1. Slow for long distances. Sure, you can take that 12-hour overnight bus for like $10. You can also fly for $20-50, depending on the day.
2. There isn't always a bathroom. They make bathroom and snack stops, though. BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper).
3. Safety. There have been a number of bus crashes, although when I've taken the long-distance bus and minibus in the daytime, the driver wasn't noticeably reckless. 
4. Traffic!!! Bangkok traffic is horrible. Do not get stuck in it. When my partner and I took the bus back in the evening, we had to get off in the suburbs and take the BTS train the rest of the way home.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the buses and minibuses. You can get pretty much anywhere for very little money, and it's convenient and relaxed. I haven't taken the scenic slow trains yet, and I will most certainly report back when I do.

Pattaya: Bangkok's disgusting beach getaway (and how to make it awesome)

Ah, Pattaya. What is it about Pattaya that is so appealing? The sweet smell of exhaust from countless boats as I walk along the trash-strewn beach? The tiny strip of sand between the vendors and the water? The hundreds of dead, washed-up jellyfish? The constant calls and grabbing hands of locals trying to sell me overpriced touristy gimmicks I don't want?

No, really. What is it about Pattaya that is so appealing?


Pattaya is primarily known for two things: its beach and its red light district. I walked along a good portion of the beach - including the so-called "nicer" Jomtien Beach - and found it shockingly gross. There are a million people trying to take you jet-skiing, speedboating, parasailing (maybe?) and all sorts of things, but that kind of uncontrolled touristy stuff has polluted the beach to high heaven, and there must be nicer places to do those activities in a less eco-toxic way. So, I guess it's really famous for the red light district.

If you've never been to a sandy beach before, I guess going to Pattaya could be fun; if you've ever been to the beach before, I can't imagine how you would have fun on the beach. There are beaches a bit further south in Rayong that are supposedly nice, and the island of Koh Chang, a few hours south, is positively paradisical. (Paradisaical? Paradisial?)

That said, if you feel you just have to check it out, here's my guide to having a heck of a time in Pattaya, off the beach.

1. Hop off the bus and walk or taxi a couple km down the highway to Mini Siam, tourist attraction extraordinaire! Pose with the crappy plastic Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, and London Bridge! Then actually go to the good part, which is a positively inspired miniature version of all the landmarks in Thailand.

Cost for non-Thais: 300 thb

2. Walk over to Tea Village and sample all the teas. Chill in their back-room tearoom or buy some delicious teas! I'm not a tea person, but these were top-notch. Many of these are from Thai tea plantations in the North of the country, which is pretty cool.

3. Put on your fancy clothes and take a taxi or bus down for a fancy dinner at Cafe des Amis. This place is so fancy, they even put your napkin in your lap for you. When you get up, they put the napkin over your chair arm. And entrees only cost like $15. They even brought us a free appetizer, and it was some kind of mussel with creamy cheesy sauce; I usually hate seafood, but this was insaaaanely good. Do not miss this restaurant! It's absurdly cheap for this type of place.

4. If it's within your budget, stay at the Green Park Resort. It's near the beach, and is rated as one of the best hotels for your money. A room is $35 (a couple dollars more breakfast, which is a pretty reasonable buffet), and the place is lovely. It has a private jungle that you walk through to get to your bungalow or building. We passed a monkey on our way to the pool. It was chill. We were chill. If that isn't about as legit as it gets, I don't know what is. The pool is also gorgeous. It has a swim-up bar! You can go to the bar in the pool. I didn't know I could be in love with a pool, but I sure am. This is the kind of resort people pay hundreds of dollars a night for, and it's way better than the beach.

Aaand that's it! I'd say Cafe des Amis alone is worth the trip down to Pattaya, so have fun!

SPOOKY AMAZING FLIGHT SALE, East and West Coast USA to/from Europe for $300 or less round trip TODAY ONLY

Norwegian is having a SPOOKTACULAR Halloween day sale! Under $300 round trip to fly between many East and West Coast cities and Europe. Specifically: Boston, Miami, LA, San Francisco; London, Oslo, Stockholm, Paris, Copenhagen. You can book them one-way, too, for under $150 one-way. What are you waiting for? Go forth and fly!

How to ride a mototaxi in Bangkok: FAQ

Now, I'm a big fan of the taxi apps Grab and Uber, but let's say you don't have a smartphone or you don't want to wait. No problem! Taxis and mototaxi stands are everywhere.

How to ride a mototaxi


A mototaxi is a guy with a motorcycle or scooter of some kind who lets you pay to ride on the back. But it's not as sketchy as it sounds! Official mototaxi stands are all around the city; you can easily recognize the drivers by their bright orange vests. Prices are generally standardized, and although there's no meter, I've never been ripped off. Expect to pay roughly 40-70 thb ($1-2 USD) to go 2-3 km. Go to the mototaxi stand and go up to the driver; it'll be obvious what you want. Or just flag someone down if you see a riderless mototaxi driver on the street. Flag a taxi by putting your hand out, palm down, pointing down a bit. When you get on, there should be foot rests, and grab the back of the bike. Don't sit too far back, as you could fall off and die.

Is it fast?

Yes! So fast. Mototaxis are my favorite way to get around because they weave in and out of traffic, going in the cracks between gridlocked cars. This is the main reason why I far prefer mototaxis to regular taxis.

Is it safe?

Eh. Not really. There are a lot of motorbike accidents in Thailand, and mototaxis are efficient because they drive dangerously. Legally, you have to wear a helmet on a mototaxi, and may be fined for not wearing one, but most drivers don't carry an extra. Try not to die. I had never ridden a motorcycle before coming here, and now I take them all the time, and I haven't died yet.

Is it awesome?

Yes! Whizzing down the streets of Bangkok on the back of a motorcycle is awesome.

Can I do it in the rain?


Technically you can, but riding a motorcycle in a downpour gets very crazy very fast, and it isn't safe. I got caught in a monsoon on a mototaxi once, and that's a story for another day. When it's raining hard, a regular taxi is your best bet.

Bangkok taxi apps Uber vs. Grab: The Ultimate Showdown

Bangkok does not lack in affordable taxi options, and each type has enough pros and cons that I can't rank them. Here's what you need to know:

The smartphone apps: Free download.
Log in. Connect your credit card in advance (if you want automatic payments) or pay cash after your rides. Click to order a car to your door.

Uber: This international car-share app is used in big cities all over the world, but Bangkok and Chiang Mai are the only cities in Thailand where it's active. Uber drivers are just regular people - NOT official taxi drivers - driving you around in their car to make some extra money.

• Pro: Uber in Thailand is very cheap. Going a few kilometers can cost anywhere from 30-90 thb, which is under $3 USD.
• Pro: You don't need to talk to anyone, or give directions, which is good if you don't speak the local language. You just type in your address and your destination, and the Uber app sends your driver a little GPS map that tells him/her where to go. Easy!
• Con: There are not always a lot of Uber drivers nearby, and sometimes the map shows a driver nearby, but a faraway driver will accept my request instead. Thanks to Bangkok traffic, this means a wait time of anywhere from 5-40 minutes before your car even shows up. Usually less than 40, but you can never be sure, which leads me to the biggest...
• Con: The Uber app doesn't understand Bangkok traffic. Watching your car's expected arrival time is like jumping into a wormhole of time travel and disappointment. First it says your car is 4 minutes away. Then it's 10 minutes. Now it's 8 minutes! Now it's 15 minutes. 10 minutes later, it's still 15 minutes away. Huh. It costs money to cancel, too.

Grab: This app is hot in Southeast Asia, and covers way more cities and towns around here than Uber. Its main claim to fame is calling real, official taxi drivers to your door, but it also offers loads of other options, for a variety of prices, from dirt-cheap randos on mototaxis to the more-expensive-but-still-reasonable real live taxi drivers.

• Pro: Grab has lots of options, which means you'll probably find a ride and not have to wait more than 10 minutes - GrabBike for mototaxis (they do delivery, too!), GrabTaxi for real live official taxis, GrabEconomy, which is basically Uber, as well as some options to get bigger or nicer cars, which Uber also has in most markets. 
• Pro: There are way more GrabTaxis than Ubers or GrabEconomy cars, so you can easily find one. You can find GrabTaxis in other parts of Thailand, too, out of the reach of Uber.
• Pro/Con: The driver will always call you after you book, I guess to tell you how far they are and to make sure you didn't butt-dial and they have the right location. However, they almost never speak any English, and sometimes get flustered and cancel the booking if you're unable to communicate. You must either learn some Thai or accept that you might have to try again with a different driver. Yes, they have a map with your location. No, apparently this isn't enough. This is great if you speak Thai, as the driver will let you know how long you will have to wait. This can be stressful if you don't speak Thai.
• Con: GrabTaxi costs more than Uber and Economy, sometimes twice as much. Still, that makes a ride like $3, so it's not killer, and it beats waiting a half hour.
• Con: Drivers don't seem to use their Grab app maps (what is this, Dr. Seuss?), so you may need to give them directions, probably in Thai or wild gestures (my preferred language), and they probably won't indicate to you that they don't know where they are going, they'll just keep on driving. Be vigilant.

Which is better? You decide. Personally, I use them both. If I'm downtown in an area with a lot of Ubers, that's my go-to, but if I'm a bit out of the way, there's more likely to be a Grab nearby. 

Of course, these apps require you to have a phone and Wifi or data. Next time, we'll go into my favorite non-technological transportation option: the mototaxi.

A brief interruption: Buy One Get One Free Chipotle burritos/tacos/salads (USA + Canada)

I interrupt Bangkok Week(s) to bring you BOGO Chipotle burritos!
They are great and give you that wholesome burrito feeling. And they are pretty much everywhere in the US, so it's a good go-to fast-food-but-not-fast-food option for the traveler! Just play this game and give 'em your number, and they'll text you a code good until November 30. Go play and win a burrito/bowl/salad/tacos!


New regularly scheduled posts every Sunday and Wednesday! Up next: Bangkok taxi apps Uber vs. Grab: The Ultimate Showdown.

Getting around Bangkok: budget and not-so-budget options

This blog will now be updated every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday, so keep an eye out! For a more social experience, join the Facebook group and share your thoughts and questions!

Welcome to Bangkok week! It's no secret that Thailand is a great place to live it up on a budget. As I'm settling into life here in Bangkok, I want to share what I have learned, so for the next week or so, I'll be dishing out tips on how to survive Bangkok like a local. 


So, here you are in Thailand. Now how are you going to get from here to there? Didn't think of that, did ya?

Naw, just kidding, I'm sure you're at home, studiously planning away. Here's the lowdown:

The backpackers aren't lying: Thailand really is fantastic for budget travel. There are a lot of different options, but let's start with traveling within Bangkok.

Ultra-budget option: City buses. Cost: free to about 13 baht, which is about $0.37. They connect the entire city and surroundings, and some run all night long, often coming once every ten or twenty minutes. Google Maps knows most of the schedules if you search for public transit directions, but does make some mistakes, so if you've been waiting for a bus that should have shown up half an hour ago and Google says it comes every 10 minutes, it might not be running that day. They're sometimes air conditioned, and there's generally wind through the windows if you're not caught in traffic, so it's not too miserable.

Budget option: BTS and MRT skytrain. Cost: 35 thb ($1 USD) more or less, depending on how far you go. The BTS and MRT may surprise you with how clean, on-time, and efficient they are. Step inside the often-crowded elevated rail car, and you could be in London or Paris or somewhere fancy. All the trains even have little TV screens that play the same commercials and jingles over and over again for the entire month. You might think it would get annoying, but really it just makes me wonder what drinkable Essence of Chicken is, exactly, and how it makes a person very attractive and well-liked. They run every 3-6 minutes from 6:30 AM until midnight.

Still pretty budget option, to be honest: Taxis, mototaxis, Uber, Grabtaxi. Cost: variable and bargainable (sometimes), but generally 55 thb/5 km (plus tolls and sitting in traffic). Even if you hit traffic and your 5 km journey takes an hour (not an exaggeration), it's unlikely that your trip would cost over 100 thb, or $3 USD. Taxis are easy to come by in Bangkok, and boy, are they affordable by US and UK standards. If you're traveling as a couple or group, a taxi is often going to be cheaper than the BTS (although probably not cheaper than the bus). Just be careful of traffic--Bangkok traffic is unlike anything I've ever seen, save perhaps Manhattan at rush hour, only it's like that most hours. Nothing hurts like sitting in a taxi with motion sickness, watching the minutes tick by and the meter tick up, as you miss your lunch reservation.

Crappity-pooply option: tuktuks. My opinion on tuktuks as a transportation option is pretty obvious, but I'll explain why before you file this blog under "Definitely Written By Two Children Stacked On Top Of Each Other's Shoulders Pretending To Be One Adult." In ye olden times, before cars were everywhere, the humble tuktuk was the main taxi option in Bangkok. Now, though, at least in the capital, they're mostly shockingly overpriced touristy gimmicks trying to pass themselves off as legitimate transportation. If you enjoy haggling, then you'll love it, because the drivers I've run into charged five times the going rate for mototaxis or regular taxis. I took a tuktuk once, haggled a bit, still paid way more than I should have, and checked it off my bucket list. The next time a tuktuk driver shouted at my partner and me to get a ride, we were unfortunately outside a huge touristy mall, CentralWorld. He asked for 500 baht. We showed him the Uber app, which stated the ride was worth 80 baht, but he actually refused to haggle at all. Now, I certainly don't begrudge local people trying to make some money and have a better life, so if you want to support the local economy by taking a tuktuk and inhaling fumes in an unsafe vehicle for a lot of money, be my guest. On the plus side, word on the street is that tuktuk drivers know the city like the back of their hand, which could be worth its weight in gold because cab drivers often have no idea where they're going, and will almost never admit this.

There are also pickup truck taxi/buses of some kind in Bangkok called songthaews, but I have never used one in the city. I believe they tend to go to more out-of-the-way places that the regular buses don't, but I could be wrong.

I take songthaews a lot when I'm out in the country. Hold on tight; you can fall out.

Up next: Taxis vs. mototaxis vs. Uber vs. Grab: The Ultimate Showdown


Got tips? Got questions? Leave a comment!

$99 Flights from West and East Coast USA to Iceland, and $149 to Europe!

WowAir has wowed us once again with a new batch of $99 flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington, DC/Baltimore to Reykjavik, Iceland one-way.
They also have flights starting at $145 one-way from the aforementioned cities to loads of locations in Europe, such as Amsterdam and London. These prices are available on various flights any time between now and next October. These prices don't stick around, so jump on it while you can.

WowAir has recently changed their baggage policy from 5 kg total for one carry-on to a somewhat more reasonable 1 carry-on up to 42x32x25cm (10kg/22 lbs) and 1 personal item. Note that this carry-on size is about half the size you would normally expect, so leave the suitcase at home and bring a small backpack or duffel. Or just pay to check a bag. That's allowed, too. Remember to suit up with your punk rock carry-on vest!

WowAir isn't the only airline to have such a small carry-on size, as WizzAir, an Eastern Europe-based discount airline, sells these li'l guys which fit the baggage rules to a T and have a 30-liter capacity.


Don't forget about WowAir's free stopovers--book a flight to Europe, and get a free stopover in Iceland. The planes all stop there anyway, so you may as well enjoy!

AirAsia returning to Europe later than expected, in 2018

AirAsia has announced that they will start flights connecting Asia and Europe in 2018.
The initial announcement said flights would start this month, but was allegedly just a marketing test of some kind. My guess is the flights will originate in the AirAsia hub of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and there's talk of flying into Russia and Barcelona, but it's all up in the air at this point. Ha ha ha get it?
Ha

Scoot Airlines, based in Singapore, hasn't released any recent news about their scheduled June 2017 flights to Athens, Greece, so no news is probably good news.


At the same time, with current Eurowings prices of $196 one-way for a bare-bones flight from Germany to Bangkok, AirAsia and Scoot might not end up with the cheapest flights on the market. Time will tell!

Frontier Airlines $20 flight sale today only

Frontier is having an impressive sale today only (October 18), with many flights only $20 one-way.
They're still in the middle of some slightly-less-impressive but longer-lasting sales, too, so even if you need a day to think it over, your route may still only be $34-60. Check it out!

Your five-step guide to Thailand during the mourning period

As some of you may know, I'm living in Bangkok now, teaching college prep classes. Thailand is currently in a widespread state of mourning over the death of its beloved king last week. He reigned for 70 years and was seen as a great unifier and father figure, and his death shook the country, causing a one-month ban on gratuitous entertainment and a one-year official mourning period. Here is a quick breakdown of what to expect in the coming days and months if you visit Thailand:


1. No live music for 1 month (up to Nov. 13). Bars and restaurants are still playing the radio and have a jovial atmosphere, but pretty much all concerts are cancelled.

2. Festivals will probably be low-key or cancelled until Nov. 13, and possibly up to a year from now. The infamously wild-'n'-crazy monthly Full Moon Party has been cancelled for October, but will probably be on in November again. Allegedly, many strip clubs will be closed, but they will probably open soon, and this is not really something I keep close tabs on. I've heard mixed things about the availability of alcohol, but Thailand generally has rules about what time of day alcohol can be purchased, so I don't think it should have a huge impact on things.

3. A lot of people will be wearing black, but not everyone. I live in an expat-heavy neighborhood, and maybe half the people I run into are wearing black shirts, but this is probably different in more heavily Thai areas. As a tourist, people probably won't be angry at you if you don't wear black, but try to dress in a respectful way and avoid bright, happy colors.

4. Most clubs, bars, stores, malls, spas, etc. are open, but the excitement will be toned down for the month, and possibly for longer. If you have your eye on a particular club, and you want to visit before November 13, give them a call to make sure they're open.

5. Things are safe for now, but Thailand has had recent political terror attacks in tourist spots around the South of the country, and although things have been stable the past couple of years, they could deteriorate. There hasn't been any sign of unrest yet, but on the day of the king's death, the government put their safety watch on red alert. For some reason, blogs that pander to tourists claim that this means it is actually safer to visit now, because security is so high. This seems like a strange thing to say. I wouldn't say anyone needs to delay their plans over safety issues--cities all over the world are experiencing terrorism, gun violence, and disease all the time these days--but I would keep an eye on the news and make sure to get traveler's health insurance.


That's all! Public transit is running smoothly, and at least in Bangkok, the city is still buzzing with life. Remember that it is illegal in Thailand to criticize or threaten the royal family, and it will also upset people who are in mourning, so be careful and respectful.

This is not a drill. Europe to/from Bangkok or Malaysia for $196 one way.

Hey, blogopals! I'm not quite sure what's going on, but it involves $196 flights one-way (or twice that, round trip) between Berlin, Hamburg, and Dresden, and Bangkok (or just a bit more for all sorts of European cities, including Prague and Barcelona).


Now, if you keep a close eye on this blog and on Secretflying.com, you know that there are often round trip flight sales from Europe to Asia, but those sales never seem to work one-way: it may be $500 round trip from Beijing to Rome, but $800 one-way! This is great if all you want to do is visit that one city, but it doesn't really fit a lot of people's needs, when you're tied down to that one city. That's why this deal is SO MEGA AWESOME - You can fly into Berlin, spend as long as you want, then fly out of any other city. (Note: Vietnam Air is also offering $222 one-way flights between Malaysia and London!)

Here are some ideas of other fun one-ways, with approximate prices (one-way prices, of course):

Berlin, Hamburg or Dresden to/from Bangkok with Eurowings: $196 (in Thai baht thb)

Cologne, Prague, Zagreb, Barcelona, Milan, and more to/from Bangkok with Eurowings: about $210-260

London Heathrow to/from Bangkok with Malaysia Airlines: $263

London Heathrow to/from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with Vietnam Airlines: $222

Either Eurowings, a German airline, is having a massive yet unadvertised sale, or that is just what their prices are and I never thought to look before. I'm thiiiinking it's a sale, as these prices are insanely low, and a lot of the routes seem to just be starting up in a couple months, but who knows? Life is a mystery. It seems to be cheaper to book in Thai baht rather than euros or dollars, which it automatically does if you're flying from Bangkok. I'm going to pounce on this right away to make sure it doesn't get away, but I'll keep an eye on it and let y'all know if this is the normal price or what.


Tip: Use the Eurowings low-fare calendar to find your route!

China Eastern and Air China deals: US to/from Asia for $500 round trip

China Eastern Airlines has a decidedly mediocre website, and sometimes it's hard to find the flights that match the sales they advertise. But for $268 one-way from New York to Hong Kong, or even less from the West Coast, it's hard to be mad. Unlike a lot of "sales" from Chinese airlines, this price DOES include tax and fees!


Now, it looks like you may not be able to get that price if you buy only one-way, which sucks if you want to fly into one airport, do some exploring, and fly out of another. Still, though, keep your eye on China Eastern: http://us.ceair.com/

Air China is having a 10% off sale this weekend, and with prices of around $577 round trip from New York to Bangkok, you can't really beat 10% off that. They also advertise $2000 round trip business class tickets, and with a 21-26 hour flight, it might be worth it if you can swing it. (At the same time though, skipping business class and dealing with 24-ish hours of discomfort and sadness basically means you just got paid $1500 to not be fancy, which is a pretty good amount of money to earn just from not being fancy.)

Details here.


 Yours truly, A

AirAsia and Scoot gear up to connect Asia and Europe, low-cost style

AirAsia has just announced that they will start a new route on October 30th, flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Istanbul, and on to Barcelona.
AirAsia, a suspiciously cheap ($2 flight sales, $20 regular flights within Southeast Asia) yet apparently quite safe and well-rated airline, used to connect Asia to London and Paris, but stopped a few years ago because fuel was expensive and they couldn't make enough money. This exciting news could mean cheap flights between Southeast Asia and Europe!

Tickets aren't available yet, but let's keep our fingers crossed and hope it's cheap! Just to note, I flew on AirAsia from Singapore to Bangkok yesterday and it was just fine. On-time arrival, snoozy-comfortable-enough seats that I passed out in, and even an empty seat between me and the guy next to me.

Scoot, a Singaporean low-cost airline, also just announced that they'll be extending to Europe, this time connecting Singapore directly to Athens, Greece. This will start on June 20, 2017. As of right now, prices are looking like S$484 ($359 USD) or S$318 ($236 USD) on sale one-way, which is not terrible. They say they won't have movies though, which is a bummer on an 11-hour flight. I imagine they will have some sweet sales, though. One can only hope!


Update: AirAsia has since pushed back the date to 2018 and has said that the specific destinations in Europe are not yet known.

$412 round trip USA to Cambodia, with a layover in Tokyo

Do you want to fly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia (from which the rest of Asia is at your fingertips for cheeeep) from the East Coast, West Coast, or Chicago, with a free stopover in Japan, for $412-430? OF COURSE YOU DO. You could even visit me in Bangkok for another $110ish! Wow what a deal!

Frontier $20 US flight sale (September flights)

Frontier is having a very good $20 flight sale from many different cities. Buy ASAP, fly 8/30-9/30.

New York to Bangkok for $540 roundtrip! Aug-Dec.

New York City to Bangkok, Thailand for only $540 round trip, flying any time from August (yes, this month) to December. Golly! Check it out.

$364 round trip flights from San Francisco to Asia! :O

Hey, y'all! This price is pretty hard to beat, so I just had to share it.
In case you didn't know, I'm living in Bangkok, Thailand now, and I don't have much time to travel these days, so my apologies if the travel tips are coming less frequently. This deal is too good to pass up, though. Come visit me in Bangkok, internet pals! It's an insane $364-380 round trip flight (1 stop) from San Francisco to various cities in Asia, including: Manila, Philippines Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Bangkok, Thailand Phnom Penh, Cambodia Singapore Seoul, South Korea Hong Kong Get the details at the ever-awesome Secretflying.com!

$1 rental cars in Europe, Aug-Sept only

Insane car rental deal at Europcar, a major car rental chain. Just $1 for one-way car rentals. Go on that road trip you've been wanting! Details here.

$149 one-way NYC to Europe (Nov.-Mar.)

WOWair will start flying from New York to Europe in November, and they're celebrating by releasing $149 flights (and allegedly some even cheaper flights back) from November until March, from New York to loads of cities in Europe, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Bristol, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, and Paris.
Plus flights from New York to Iceland are $99 one-way. Now, it's not exactly New York--it's Newark (EWR) airport, which is 30 miles from Times Square. There are a bunch of ways to get to the city, but it's definitely not the most convenient airport. I don't have a lot of love for WOWair--they don't allow ANY luggage past 5 kg, generally treat customers with disdain, don't have movies, and always stop over in Iceland, adding time to the trip--but they do get you there for pennies.

Father's day hotel sale: $100 off

While I don't normally post about hotels, because I don't generally stay in them, there's a great flash sale on right now for $100 off a $350+ hotel stay.
I don't advocate for hotels, as Couchsurfing is free and awesome, and AirBnB is cooler, but many folks love them, so here you are! Use promo code DADSDAY100 on travelocity.com. The promo expires tonight (June 19) at 11:59 PST, so hop on it! Note that there are a bunch of terms and conditions, including that the length of stay must be at least 3 nights. Go save $100!

Norwegian Air $100 Ireland flight announcement

Norwegian has announced that they plan to run a route between Boston and Cork, Ireland for under $100 one-way! No details of when it'll start,
as Norwegian is still wrestling with the US government to get permission for it. There has been a lot of pushback from the US airline industry, because Norwegian undercuts them and offers way lower prices; they claim that Norwegian does things that unions/workers don't like, like bringing in workers from poorer countries whom they can pay less, but Norwegian denies it, and has agreed to hire European and American staff and pay them normally. Some might say that it's just the gigantic airline monopoly in the US spreading rumors to maintain their control and prevent us from benefiting from the cheap flights that are ubiquitous in Europe. Who really knows? Get the deets on the proposed Boston-Cork route: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/nine-out-of-10-irish-support-plans-for-cheap-eu-us-flights-1.2668676 Get the lowdown on the controversy: http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-05-25/why-people-are-cranky-about-super-cheap-flights-to-europe

(Nearly) inaugural flight with Thomas Cook/Condor Airlines!

I'm writing this from the airport, about to board the (nearly) inaugural Thomas Cook/Condor flight from Boston to Manchester.
It seems like they are partners; the Thomas Cook group seems to have a few partners. Weirdly, the flight has two separate flight numbers--one Thomas Cook and one Condor number--but I think it's the same flight. I wasn't able to find Thomas Cook or Condor on the Boston Logan Airport website, and that's because it turns out this is the first day that Thomas Cook/Condor have flown from here! I believe there was a 2:30 PM flight already, so I will probably be on the almost-inaugural-first-ever flight. Pretty exciting stuff.

The ticket was 169 pounds (about $240), and came with a checked bag and three-course meal. I'll be sure to report back with a full review after the flight!

Chicago, DC, San Francisco to Dublin for $300-600 round trip! Flash sale.

There are lots of good deals to Europe for our pals on the East Coast, (hello, WowAir, Norwegian, and Thomas Cook!), and more and more on the West Coast (same airlines), but the Midwest is generally left high and dry. This flash sale from Chicago to Dublin changes that!
Secretflying lists Chicago to Dublin as $454 round trip, although of course it's just over $300 round trip from Washington, DC (the East Coast just has all the luck, huh?). Buy as soon as possible, as the sale will probably end within a few days, possibly sooner. Fly winter or spring 2017. Details here.

$297 round trip Philly to Ireland (flash sale)

Secretflying is killin' it once again with a fantastic flash sale: $297 round trip to fly from Philly to Ireland.
This is especially exciting because Philly is not a discount-airline hub, so usually you have to trek up to New York or down to Baltimore. Secretflying's sales usually end within a day or two, so book NOW. Details here: http://www.secretflying.com/2016/05/philadelphia-dublin-ireland-297-roundtrip/ They have recommendations of dates that are cheapest, but you can click around on Priceline.com for the dates you want to see the price, and you can still find a bargain. Snatch this up while you can!

Norwegian's (kind of cool) announcement revealed

So Norwegian made their big announcement last Wednesday. It wasn't what I had hoped
--the rumored $69 flights--but it was OK. Basically, they will be having a big sale every Wednesday, announced on their Facebook page. Last week's sale was Los Angeles to Oslo for $149 one-way, which is a pretty good deal, but not substantially different from their normal sale prices, which pop up pretty often anyway.

Norwegian Air mystery announcement in 40 minutes!

Norwegian Air will be making a mysterious and allegedly Really Exciting announcement in 40 minutes!
Hold on to your hats, boys 'n' girls ('n' non-binary folks). I'm hoping that it has to do with those $69 transatlantic flights that they promised a few months back. Time will tell. Stay tuned!

A crash course in how to fly from the US to Europe for under $200

Hey, blog-o-pals! I thought I would make a nice user-friendly basic guide on how to fly between Europe and the US for under $200 each way, so here it is:

Basically, there are a few low-cost airlines that have reliably cheap fares. There's my personal favorite, Norwegian Air, my least favorite, WowAir, and a very promising airline I haven't flown yet, Thomas Cook Airlines.

Norwegian: 
Budget: $300-500 round trip to Scandinavia. Requires significant flexibility.

5 reasons to fly with Norwegian Air:
1. You live near New York, Boston, Miami, Orlanda, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas.
2. You are flying to Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, or Sweden). You can fly from New York to Oslo for $100-180 except in the summer. (Or, you are flying to London, but the other airlines are usually cheaper. New York to London direct will generally cost you at least $250-300, and often more.)
3. You can buy your tickets in advance.
4. You are not flying in the summer or around holidays.
5. You are bringing 1 carry-on suitcase and a small personal item.

WowAir:
Budget: $200-300 round trip to Iceland. Requires some flexibility.

5 reasons to fly with WowAir:
1. You live near Boston or Baltimore. (They also have slightly more expensive flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco.)
2. You are flying to Iceland or Bristol, UK. (Often $99-129 one-way direct from the East coast to Reykjavik! About $200 to Bristol, which is an unusual place for a discount transatlantic airline to go to, but is a great city and the legendary graffiti artist, Banksy, is from there.)
3. You are bringing only a very, very lightweight personal item and NO carry on, and you can plan in advance.
4. You want the absolute lowest price possible, and you are willing to be treated somewhat poorly. The planes are small, and there are no movies or fun moving maps that show you where you are on the globe. WowAir is the Greyhound bus of the skies.
5. You want a stopover in Iceland, before continuing on to Europe. All WowAir flights stop in Iceland to refuel anyway, and you can schedule in a free stopover.

Thomas Cook:
Budget: $400-600 round trip to the UK. Requires little flexibility.

5 reasons to fly with Thomas Cook Airlines:
1. You live near New York, Boston, or Miami. Slightly more expensive flights are available from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Minneapolos, Portland (Oregon), and Seattle.
2. You are flying to the UK. The best prices are to Manchester and Scotland, but there are locations all over the country.
3. You are flying to all the places in Europe that the discount airlines don't go to, such as a huge variety of cities in France, Germany, Scandinavia, and Amsterdam.
4. You don't want a "discount airline" experience, but you still want to save some money. Thomas Cook Airlines is NOT a discount airline--they just have rock-bottom prices that you can only find on their website. The flights include a multi-course meal and checked baggage. The prices are sometimes a little higher than on WowAir--New York to Manchester will generally cost $250-300 one-way--but you save a lot of time by flying direct. Plus, if you're lucky, you can find a flight like the $150 Boston to Manchester flight I found recently.
5. You don't want to plan in advance. You can book months in advance, or you can leave this week, and you will probably still find a $150-300 flight to the UK. This, combined with the fancy airline experience, is the best thing about Thomas Cook. Now, I haven't flown with them yet, so I can't confirm that the food is good, but they talk it up a lot on their website, and apparently it has the stamp of approval of a famous TV chef, so it's got to be better than the big load of nothing you get on the discount airlines.


Still have questions? Got tips? Comment and let me know!

Reliable, dirt cheap, FANCY flights between the US and UK!

Hey all, I just discovered this site that has suuuper cheap flights between NYC/Boston and the UK (as well as other areas of Europe), and it seems to just have these fares all the time (I don't think it's a sale today...?)
Check it out if you're interested in going to Europe. It's a nice airline too, with free checked bags and meals! :O The meals look goooood, too. Example fares include $149 direct Boston to Manchester, or about $199 from New York.


https://www.thomascookairlines.com/ibe/tcauk/en/offersLong/flightOffersListView.xhtml

East Coast to San Diego for $175 ROUND TRIP!

There's an amazing sale on right now with United Airlines, an Actual Fancy Non-Discount Airline! $175 round trip from various East Coast locations to San Diego. Whaaaat. This is unheard of! HOP ON IT.

WowAir summer sale! $99 US to Europe!

WowAir's summer sale just started, and it will probably sell out fast. $99 Baltimore or Boston to Iceland, and $129 back (so that's $228 round trip), all taxes included. $189 to the UK and Europe.
There are great deals from the West Coast, too. Plus, WowAir now includes a free stopover in Iceland, so it's like 2 vacations in one.

Keep in mind that WowAir is about as budget as an airline can be. The planes are small, and they all have a short layover in Iceland to refuel. There are no movies on the planes, and in my experience, you are sort of treated like a second-class citizen. Sort of the Greyhound of the skies.

Additionally, WowAir is VERY strict about baggage, and only allows a personal item, which they weigh to make sure it's under 5 kg, which is basically nothing. A carry-on vest is a necessity. I also just made some carry-on cargo pants, which I may share with you all soon...


However, for $99, I think I can suck it up and deal. See ya suckers in Iceland!

$81 NYC to Costa Rica, but also Zika virus

Jetblue and Delta are having a great sale right now, with $81 one-way flights to Liberia, Costa Rica. I've been there once, and it is just about everything you would imagine a tropical paradise to be,
except that the rain forest is kind of similar to a regular forest in Pennsylvania but with monkeys.

This is a great sale...but there is a travel warning due to the prevalence of the very nasty mosquito-borne Zika virus in Central and South America. It isn't known to be a big problem in Costa Rica yet, but it apparently can spread very quickly once one person gets it, as viruses do. There's no vaccine or treatment, but it usually isn't too serious. However, as far as I can tell, the long-term effects aren't known, and it is thought to cause birth defects, so you should probably not head South if you're pregnant. And lest you think this is American fearmongering, local women in Zika-affected countries are putting off pregnancy until the virus goes away.

It is a pretty good sale, though.

WowAir news: 48-hour sale and free Iceland stopovers!

WowAir has some excited news: they now include free stopovers in Iceland!
My guess is that this move is to compete with the other less-discounted-but-much-more-convenient Icelandic airline, IcelandAir, which has long advertised their free Iceland stopovers, and now even offers a free personal guide for your day in Reykjavik. (Oh my god, I just spelled that right on the first try!) This is pretty exciting stuff.


WowAir is also having a 48-hour sale on April-June travel RIGHT NOW, with incredible prices, like Boston to Reykjavik for $99, Copenhagen to Boston for $123, and just amazing prices to and from all over Europe, including Bristol, London, Amsterdam, various German cities, Canada, Paris, and more. I highly recommend getting on their mailing list, (which I was shockingly not on until this week), because that's really the only place to find out about sales--they don't really post much sale information on their website. (I think the mailing list didn't exist when I first found out about WowAir, and that is why I was not on it, which gives me some hipster points, so let's go with that story.)

$427 roundtrip flights US to Tokyo

There's a sweet sale going on right now on March, April, and May flights from the US to Tokyo.
Note that this is with real fancy airlines like Delta and United, so you can probably check bags for free and get a massage or whatever it is fancy people do on fancy airplanes.


The cheapest fares seem to be from Chicago ORD ($427ish) and LAX ($436ish), but there are some good deals all over the country. Use Google Flights and the Calendar or Flexible Dates feature to find the best deals. Thanks to The Flight Deal for the tip! (Note that although The Flight Deal says that this is a Delta Airlines sale, the majority of the cheap flights seem to be United. Google Flights will help you find the perfect flight for you!)

Norwegian UK plans to launch flights to Asia and South America

Norwegian Air has recently announced plans to expand its UK services and launch low-cost long-haul flights to Asia and South America.
They plan to do this by securing a UK Operating License, and launching "Norwegian UK." The official Norwegian.com website does not have any announcements yet, but multiple sources confirm that this shouuuuld be launching sometime at the beginning of 2016, which is now, so hopefully it will actually happen soon. More info here.

As of now, Norwegian Air has very limited Asian destinations, with limited flights to Bangkok, Thailand ($132 one-way from Stockholm to Thailand!), as well as just a couple of Middle Eastern cities, such as Dubai and Tel Aviv. They do not fly to South America yet, but they are constantly expanding their North American destinations, which now include both the East and West coasts of the US (Copenhagen to Las Vegas for $150!), as well as warm n' toasty technically-USA vacation spots like Puerto Rico ($122 from Stockholm!).

I'll update you all as soon as more information comes out.


See what exotic locations you can fly to for under $200!

$99 one-way Los Angeles to Stockholm! (+free checked bag)

Scandinavian Airlines may just be the next low-cost transatlantic airline on our radar.
They are having a sale from now until March 6 for $99 one-way flights from LA to Stockholm, Sweden, INCLUDING a free 50-lb checked bag! CRAZY, RIGHT??! Hop on it: http://www.flysas.com/en/us/

New route: US to Paris for $175 (starting September 2016!)

Howdy, blogofans,

Norwegian Airlines has just released tickets for its new route, starting in September 2016: USA to Paris for $175, one-way nonstop. It's $175 from Los Angeles and New York, and $299 from Miami. The cheapest tickets seem to be selling out fast, but Norwegian tends to have periodic sales, so I wouldn't worry too much.


More info here.

Megabus US $1 tickets released NOW!

The Megabus US $1 ticket dump just happened, available for buses until May 23.
Each bus has at least one $1 ticket so get on it ASAP. Hits include Chicago to Texas for $1, New York to Chicago for $1, Philadelphia to New York for $1, etc. You can really go anywhere, and there's no catch. Just catch those tickets in the next couple of days, before they sell out! The sooner the better, but I have often been surprised to find $1 tickets weeks after they're released.

You can't do a specific search for the $1 tickets, but if you look up the trip you want to take, they should pop up.


megabus.com

Bing Rewards: free gift cards (if you're in the US)

Do you like sketchy “rewards” websites that “reward you for simple things like searching” but actually don’t really pay anything and slow down your computer? OF COURSE NOT.

Bing Rewards, however, is actually good!
I’ve been using it for a few months, and I already have like $15 of gift cards for things I actually use (like, let’s be real, Groupon). I was initially skeptical, but it is actually great. Use Bing as your primary search engine (or just do a few searches a day with it), and you can make about $5-10 in gift cards each month. If you’re interested, this is my referral link: https://www.bing.com/explore/rewards?PUBL=REFERAFRIEND&CREA=RAW&rrid=_1d2da3ae-0440-2381-caf1-1e5424231b05

Now, I still prefer Google sometimes, but for my everyday searching needs, Bing isn’t a bad place to start. Is it a little sad that they have to pay people to use their site? Maybe. But you know what isn’t sad? FREE GIFT CARDS. They let you “cash out” any time, so you can accumulate and use actual real gift cards very easily. Yay! 

Note that it does not seem to work if you are outside the US. You might be able to use a VPN but that seems like a hassle.

Yet another Frontier sale! $19 domestic, $59 to Mexico & Caribbean. Plus Spirit sales.

It seems like Frontier and Spirit have been releasing new incredible sales every week, or more. Frontier just released another batch of $19 flights and $59 flights to Mexico and the Caribbean.
Details at flyfrontier.com. Spirit, meanwhile, has recently had a 96% off discount and $34 flight sale. Check it out at spirit.com. I recommend getting on both email lists to stay on top of these flash sales.

Bon Voyage!

Mexico & the Caribbean from $59; domestic flights also on sale

Hi, all! Frontier is having yet another impressive flight sale from the US to Mexico and the Caribbean, with prices starting at $59 one-way.
They advertise $59-$79 flights from Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, and there are some super-cheap domestic flights, too. Now, round-trip might cost you about $200 if you buy now. They seem to stagger the sales in that way. A couple weeks ago, they had a sale for like $19 flights from Mexico to the US, but it cost more to get there. Now they have cheap flights from the US to Mexico...but it's more expensive to get home. Sneaky. Still, under $200 round trip is not a terrible deal. You can get more deals like this if you join Frontier's discount club, but they still throw us non-clubbers a bone like this every so often!
flyfrontier.com has the details, as always.


Spirit Airlines is having another awesome $34 flight sale, too! As per usual, tickets are even cheaper ($23) if you join their discount club.

$19 flight sale with Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines is having another $19 flight sale today! Buy by January 13, and fly by February 9. They have been having a lot of great sales lately, and I highly recommend joining their free email list.


https://www.flyfrontier.com/ways-to-save/online-deals/

DIY Carry-On Vest

A few old patches, a lonely underused denim shirt, and a couple hours at the sewing machine later, the punk rock carry-on vest is complete! Every patch is a pocket. It can hold about 7-8 shirts, 2 pants, and a few pairs of socks/underwear, and more if I stuff it.  Very simple to make: just cut the sleeves off a button-down shirt (I like to cut them off just outside the seams) and sew on patches, making sure to only attach the patches on 3 sides. I used a zigzag stitch and went over everything with the zigzag stitch twice, to make sure it’s strong.

Fun punk fact: If you wear this vest, homeless people will give you “the nod.”

Tweetin' atcha sporadically

Hey blogofans,

Is it hard for you to remember to check the blog for updates? Heck, it’s hard enough for me to remember to update it. You can follow me on Twitter– @SGtraveldeals –and the internets will inform you that I updated the blog. WOW! Thanks, internets!

Fun travel fact: If you start on the East coast, the farthest west you can get on Megabus is Omaha, NE. Or Texas. Depending on whether you consider Texas to be in any direction other than South.

WWOOF vs. Workaway vs. HelpX: a guide

Greetings, fellow travelers!

If you’re like my past self, you would probably like to know the differences between the different work-exchange programs that are out there,
but because you are not my past self, you can find out some important differences now, before you pay a bunch of money to join one (or two) and then realize it’s the wrong one for you. Here are the details, as well as my own experiences with the sites, in order of how highly I recommend them, from best to worst.

Fee: Fee: $25-30ish (depending on the euro’s strength) for a two-year membership, which can be used as an individual or couple/friends.

Pros:

– Nice map function. Reliable website, although it looks a little five-years-ago.

– Hosts all over the world, although there are fewer in places like NYC and Boston.

– Allows you to switch between having an individual or a couple membership for free, meaning you can travel alone or with a friend. Nice customer service, unlike Workaway.

– Allows you to make a profile for free, and hosts can contact you if they so choose. However, you need to pay in order to contact hosts yourself (although you can reply to folks who emailed you). As an example, I had two hosts contact me based on my profile, but neither was in a town that I wanted to go to.

Cons:

– Fewer hosts in center-city (at least on the East Coast).

– Website doesn’t look as nice.

My personal experience: None.

Fee: $25-30ish (depending on the euro’s strength) for a two-year individual membership.

$30ish for a couple/friends membership

Pros:

– Lots of hosts in center city as well as out in the country (for example, there are people in central London or New York who want you to maid for them for a few hours a day).

– Hosts all over the world.

Cons:

– Workaway is VERY nasty about bringing a friend; even if you are only staying for one day with your friend, they expect you to either spend another $30ish to start a joint account (which can only be used when traveling together), or your friend to create their own account (and of course, spend the money). They use some kind of thing to scour your messages for words that indicate you will be traveling with a friend, and will ban you if you don’t pay for that new account. Even if it’s for one day. – Their map-of-hosts function is wonky and you can’t access it at all until you pay to sign up.

– Glitchy website that looks nice, but sometimes is down or is glitchy

My personal experience: I stayed for a night with this amazing boatbuilding-co-op-on-a-coal-barge in the middle of London. It was the coolest thing ever.

WWOOF

Fees: vary by country. WWOOF UK was about $35 for 1 year.

Pros:

– WWOOF is the oldest and most famous of these three work-exchange programs, dating back to the ’70s.

– Every host is an organic farm of some kind.

– They are chill about traveling with a friend, or at least they don’t scour your emails for mention of a friend.

– Seems to be more of a community.

Cons:

– YOU HAVE TO PAY SEPARATELY FOR EACH COUNTRY! Registering for WWOOF UK does not allow you to also WWOOF in the US!

– Every host is an organic farm of some kind. Fewer options, especially in the city.

– Many, many unresponsive hosts–I get the feeling the website is never updated, at least the WWOOF UK site that I registered for.

My personal experience: I was not able to find anyone who would put me up during the winter, but my boyfriend and I helped out on a farm in relatively-nearby Wales during the day a few times, and it was really, really cool. We drove a tractor and led a pony!

tl;dr version: HelpX is the best combination of friendly, cheap, and useful, but Workaway might be better if you know that you want to be in center city. It’s worth checking both sites before deciding. WWOOF probably isn’t what you want if you travel in more than one country, and you also pay the same for a 1-year WWOOF membership as a 2-year HelpX/Workaway membership, although this may vary by country.

So, dear readers, do you have any experience with these sites, or others like them? Let me know in the comments! Or tweeeet me @SGTraveldeals. Whatever the kids do these days.

Fun travel fact: If you tell people you couchsurf, they will think you are really cool and edgy even though all you are doing is literally sleeping.