Gettin’ Carried Away

I’m always itching to go on a trip. Even when I just come home from a vacation, I’d like to leave right away for my next adventure! I spend a lot of my free time looking up flights to various places in the world. I’ve been doing it for a few years now. And through tons of trial and error, I deem myself a “Cheap Travel Expert.”

First thing’s first — Which airline is the most affordable?

If you are traveling within the U.S., my answer is Southwest Airlines. Now, they do not fly everywhere in the continental United States, but they will get you to a number of worthy destinations. I once flew Southwest to Kansas City, Missouri just last year for $49 each way! And as long as you book in advance, you are bound to find good deals.

• For Chicagoans — especially the South Siders like myself — the best part about Southwest Airlines is that it only flies out of Midway, which is a lot less crowded and easier to get to than O’Hare.
• While you are booking your flight on-line, take advantage of the “Wanna Get Away” deals. Flight prices range from anywhere between $69 and $139 when you book in advance.
• Finally, Southwest Airlines is currently the only airline that does not charge you for a checked bag!

I also recommend searching American Airlines by “Price & Schedule.” This way, you will be able to view the Economy Super Saver prices. I am currently searching for flights to London, England. By searching for my desired dates by “Price & Schedule,” I have discovered the Economy Super Saver price for $231 each way, as opposed to the roughly $2K price tag I was given by searching just by schedule. That is quite a difference!

While living in London, England, I was a huge fan of flying Ryan Air. They offer inexpensive deals all the time! Their current special includes one-way prices from London to various locations in the UK and Europe (Cork, Glasgow, Madrid, etc.) for just £10.00!

• You must fly out of London Stansted or London Gatwick;however both are much smaller, less busier airports than Heathrow.
• There are no assigned seats!
• You can enter/exit the plane from both the front and the back!

Second — Where else can I find travel deals?

Lastminute.com is a fantastic place to find deals on flights, hotels and car rentals at the drop of a hat! I prefer to plan things out very careful and way in advance. However, if you would like to be a jet-setter, even for just one weekend, this is the place you should look to for cheaper travel options. You are more likely to find a cheaper, last minute flight on this site than if you go directly to a given airline’s website.

Believe it or not, those pesky ads on websites can actually lead you to awesome travel deals… especially if you are a student! While poking around Facebook one day, I spotted an ad for Student Universe. The site offers cheap travel options for college students and faculty. At the time, I was a iunior in college, so this was a fantastic discovery! STA Travel is another great company that provides students with cheap travel opportunities.

I’d be happy to answer any other questions you may have regarding affordable flights. Stay tuned for my next post about cheap hotels/hostels!

This is the true story of five girls, picked to live in a New York apartment, to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real… 

The absolute best part of my New York experience was making life-long friendships. My three original roommates were Georgie, Jenny and Natalia. The fourth roomie, Ophelia, came a bit later in late January/early February. There was love, there was laughter and there was plenty of drama. I’m pretty sure that our living arrangements would have made for good TV, especially for the MTV reality series Real World.

My first encounters with Georgie and Jenny were through e-mails. They seemed like really nice girls, and I was very excited to meet them. They were both my age, and we were all pursuing different majors. Georgie was a rambunctious theatre major from Michigan. Jenny was a pysch major and a Yankees fan… from Massachusettes. I knew nothing about Natalia until after I arrived at the apartment in New York. She was a few years older than the rest of us, she was from California and she was an English major, just like me.

Georgie, Jenny and I hit it off right away. We spend our first night together playing cards, eating junk food and just… laughing… A LOT! I knew that we were about to embark on a very special journey together. Natalia was an outsider, but not because we made her feel that way. She rarely spent time in the apartment. And when she did, she acted very condescending and talked to down to us “youngins” quite a bit. We were too loud, too messy, etc. I had even asked her to help me with an essay, and instead, she lectured me about how I obviously had no business being an English major. She was just… unpleasant.

When Ophelia (a Long Island, NY/Cali native) came, we welcomed her with open arms. She was also a little older than us three teenagers, but she fit into our group quite nicely. All of us (minus Natalia) spent countless nights together eating Jobee’s Chinese takeout, watching Sex and the City or One Tree Hill, dancing around the common room or just telling stories about our lives back home. We also spent time out in the city exploring, eating, drinking, etc.

*~ The Fab Four ~*

*~ Ophelia, Me, Georgie, Jenny ~*

Georgie and I went to tons of restaurants and museums. Jenny and I attended a few Yankees games. Ophelia and I worked out at the gym. Whether we stayed in (to save money) or went out (to explore Manhattan), we were usually together and we always had a fun time.

When it was time to move out, all of us (well, most of us) were very sad. Natalia was the first to go. As I said, she excluded herself from lots of activities, which we had always invited her to join in on. After four months, we all knew each other’s class/work schedules pretty well. So while Georgie, Jenny, Ophelia and I were at class or work, Natalia packed up everything and left without saying good bye. She even stole some of our belongings! We just shrugged it off, and remembered that at least we had each other, and that we had the best time in room 1208.

Jenny left with her parents. Then Ophelia and I took Georgie to JFK Airport. My mom had been visiting me the last few days, so she was there to help me move home. Ophelia had to work, so I said good bye earlier that day, after we dropped Georgie at the airport. I was the last one in the apartment. I looked around at the empty walls that were once adorned with posters and Christmas lights. I glanced at the bare couches that used to be covered with cozy blankets. While the apartment looked sad and empty, I reassured myself that a lot of fun was had in 1208, and I knew that the fab four’s presence would always remain in this space.

Sad to say, the White Sox suffered a disappointing loss to the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon. Baseball season is over for this “Soxy” lady. So I suppose I will get back to telling you all about my four-month stint as a New Yorker.

One of the things I absolutely love about Manhattan is the transportation system. I guess I should say my favorite thing is the subway system, because I was actually too scared to take the bus. Being a shy teenager, I didn’t know how much it cost, I was too afraid to ask and I didn’t want to hold up the line/get yelled at by an impatient bus driver. Not like that would have happened, but I was just a naive youngster at the time.

Back to the subway – Aside from the London Underground, which I will talk about at a much later date on this blog, the New York Subway is one of the most intricate transportation systems in the world! And I feel that it is, by far, the best in the country. The names of the lines are fairly easy to remember, since they consist of letters and numbers.

——– N, R, Q, W ——– 4, 5, 6 ——– A, C, E ——– 1,9 ——–

Having lived near the Chicago Loop for most of my life, I sometimes feel ashamed to say that I know the MTA better than the CTA. Even though However, I never lived directly in the Loop. I spent four months living in SoHo in New York. Driving is ridiculous, and I did not own a bike. So I was either walking, cabbing it or taking the subway.  

I lived within walking distance to the N, R, Q, W lines, which took me most everywhere I wanted to go. I always started at bustling Canal Street, which is full of hot dog vendors that offer tasty treats and outdoor shops that boast classic NYC souvenirs and faux designer merchandise. The main thing you have to remember about the NY Subway is that it mostly flows in two directions: Uptown and Downtown. And remember, the number streets begin a little bit after Houston (NoHo) and increase as you go Uptown.

So from Canal, I used to take the N, R, Q, W to New York University (8th Street), Union Square (14th Street), Penn Station (34th Street), Times Square (42nd Street) and beyond! For tourists, these four subway lines will get you to most of the places you would like to see.

One last thing - some of  the lines do not stop at every stop. I learned this the hard way when I was trying to get to class on time at NYU. I missed the NYU bus and I was already late. So I decided that a short subway ride would be faster than a 20-minute walk to the campus. However, I jumped on the Q line, which doesn’t even stop at the school, so I ended up at Union Swaure, quite a few blocks north of where I needed to be. Always check the maps if you are not sure, and always pay attention to which train you are going to be riding!

** If you or someone you know needs NYC Subway directions, feel free to post a comment! Give me your starting point and your final destination. I’ll be sure to help you ASAP! I also make itineraries for friends and family. I can get you from the southern most tip of the island to the Bronx, using the subway as the major form of transportation. It is possible to view all the NYC sights in 1 to 3 days! **