God Save the Points

Plane Exercising
Plane Exercising 748 498 Greg Ellifritz

With plane seats getting smaller and smaller while airline delays skyrocket, it becomes more and more important to maintain circulation during your flight.  Twenty years ago, walking in the aisles was common.  Airline bathrooms were big enough to do a short workout routine.  Now bathrooms are too tiny to move and security concerns prohibit random walking.

 

While it has become more difficult to exercise on a plane, our culture has also become less fit.  Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis are now serious threats to the traveler’s health.  How does one stay healthy and mobile on a long flight?

 

The article below offers some very good options and is well worth your effort to read.

 

10 Simple Circulation Exercises You Can Do In Any Airplane Seat

 

 

 

Google Hotels
Google Hotels 1279 576 Greg Ellifritz

This might be an exceptionally useful resource for those of you interested in getting good hotel deals.

 

Google Hotels: A Best Features Guide & Slick Tips

 

This site may revolutionize the choosing of foreign hotels when traveling.  I urge you to check it out.

 

 

US Immigration Pre-Clearance
US Immigration Pre-Clearance 738 496 Greg Ellifritz

Did you know that when leaving some countries, you go through US customs and immigration at your departure airport?  It’s called “Pre-Clearance.”

 

I first experienced this on a trip to Aruba in 2018.  Travelers ending up in the United States go through the American customs and immigration procedures BEFORE their departure.

 

There are some advantages to this system.  You won’t be stuck in those massive lines for immigrations when your plane lands in the USA.  There are usually shorter lines at your departure airport than there would be when 10 planeloads of tourists arrive at the same time in the USA and there are only three US Customs officers manning the check in booths.

 

If you are traveling from one of the pre-cleared countries, you will have to take note.  Please get to the airport at least three hours before your flight to allow for the customs process to take place.  Your plane will then land at one of the domestic airport gates on its arrival to the USA.  That allows you to book tighter connections than you could if you had to go through customs on arrival.

 

There are currently 16 worldwide airports that do per-clearance.  Four more are opening up this year.  Read more about the program in the article below.  For what it’s worth, I think the program saves travelers a lot of time and hassles.  I’m absolutely in favor of its expansion.

US Immigration Pre-Clearance Is Landing In 4 More Countries

 

English?
English? 738 492 Greg Ellifritz

On my very first solo international trip, I ended up camping with a large group of Australians in Peru.  I quickly learned that thongs and jumpers were things that men could carry in their luggage.

 

If you are heading to the UK or Australia, understand that a lot of words you know in English may not mean the same things in another country.  The article below provides an entertaining introduction to some of these critical language differences.

 

30 Slang Translations Americans Need Before Visiting UK, And Vice Versa