Lunar New Year!

This is an exciting topic for me to not only research, but also write about because I am half Vietnamese and my mother has always looked forward to this holiday every year. As a child we would shop for traditional Vietnamese ingredients to prepare the weeks different cuisines as well as any of the special treats they have during this time of year. My mom would also tell us about how exciting it is to be in Vietnam during this time of year as everyone is in a celebratory mood! One of my goals is to make it to Vietnam and celebrate Lunar New Year with my relatives that still live in Vietnam in 2012!

So this is the perfect time to research and plan – here is what I have found so far:

To start, the Vietnamese refer to the Lunar New Year as TET Holiday. 2011 is the year of the Cat and will take place from February 2-5, the year 2012 will be the year of the Dragon and will take place from January 22 – 25. Traditionally there are 4 days that comprise the holiday – TET Eve, The First Day of TET, the Second and Third. One thing to note if you will be traveling in Asia is that traditionally the holiday is celebrated from the 15^th day of the 12^th month to the 15^th day of the 1^st month and you will notice that even today business will slow the two weeks before and up to two weeks after TET. This also includes any kind of public transport – as one of the traditions is to travel “home” to see family. Most Vietnamese, especially the younger generations that have gone to the major cities for work will start to flock home to be with family during the New Year!

Here are some Do's and Don'ts to help you celebrate according to Wikipedia!

Do's

• One should give people lucky presents to enhance the relationship between themselves and others: new clothes, peach branches (for expelling evil), cocks/chickens (wishing for good manners), new rice (wishing for being well-fed), rice wine in a gourd (wishing for a rich and comfortable life), bánh chưng (or bánh tét) and bánh dày which symbolize sky and earth (for worshipping the ancestors), red things (red symbolizes happiness, luckiness, advantages) like watermelon, dogs (the bark – gâu gâu – sounds like the word giàu - richness in Vietnamese language), medicated oil (dầu in Vietnamese, also sounds similar to giàu).
• One should give lucky Dong Ho Paintings such as: "Gà đàn" (wishing for having many children), or "Vinh hoa", but should not give unlucky Dong Ho paintings like "Đánh ghen" related to legal proceedings.
• One should sprinkle lime powder around the house to expel evil.
• One should return all things borrowed, and pay debts before Tết.

 Don'ts

• One shouldn't say or do bad things during Tết.
• One shouldn't hurt or kill animals or plants but should set them free. The reason for this originates from Buddhism's causality.
• One shouldn't sweep the house or empty out the rubbish to avoid luck and benefits going with it, especially on the first day of the new year. One shouldn't let the broom in confusion if people don't want it to be stolen.
• One shouldn't give these presents to others: clock or watch (the recipient's time is going to pass), cats (mèo in Vietnamese language pronounced like nghèo, poverty), medicine (the receiver will get ill), cuttle fish (its ink is black, an unlucky colour), writing ink (for the same reason), scissors or knives (they bring incompatibility).
• One shouldn't have duck meat because it brings unluckiness.
• One shouldn't have shrimp in case one would move backwards like shrimp, in other words, one would not succeed.
• One shouldn't buy or wear white clothes because white is the colour of funerals in Vietnam.
• One shouldn't let the rice-hulling mill go empty because it symbolizes failed crops.
• One shouldn't refuse anything others give or wish you during Tết.

One of my fondest memories and my personal favorite things during TET are the roasted watermelon seeds (if you go to a local Asian market these are widely sold and appear red in color, be careful as the color will run).



I would love to hear if you’re going to be traveling to Asia or if you’ve ever been able to experience the Lunar New Year first hand!  Contact/Write me!

If you’re going this year, don’t forget your travel insurance!

Contact ISA today and we’ll be happy to assist you!

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New Year! New Resolutions!

First off – HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s to the optimistic side of me saying that 2011 will be the best yet!

So...New Year – obvious topic – RESOLUTIONS!

Every year millions of people join in on the tradition of making a New Year’s Resolution. I am included in this group and I must say that I’ve become one of those people that hate doing them, but I think that’s mostly because, as most of us do, I have put a negative connotation onto this tradition.  

I’ve decided this year. I will make whatever resolutions I come up with ones that I will not punish myself for failing at, because we need to have a positive association if we expect positive outcomes.

So to start here are the top 10 BROKEN resolutions (you are not alone!) according to TIME Magazine:

1.    Lose Weight/Get Fit

2.    Quit Smoking

3.    Learn Something New

4.    Eat Healthier/Diet

5.    Get Out of Debt/Save Money

6.    Spend More Time with Family

7.    Travel to New Places

8.    Be Less Stressed

9.    Volunteer

10.  Drink Less

Now, I must say that these are all too familiar to me. I must also say that I have broken these resolutions (Except  2 &10 – they were never resolutions of mine). Now, even though I haven’t made all 10 a resolution before, this list should still speak volumes, because we as a collective whole can pretty much say that at some point we have made one of these resolutions, only to end up FAILING!

Well, that’s why this year, I’ve decided it is going to be different for me. I have 2 very distinct resolutions. Yes. 2. I’ve decided that with these resolutions I needed some extra time to think of what they were going to be, because I refuse to fail at these resolutions, which is why they are being posted on the 4^th of January, not the 1^st! So, first up, easy: I vow to walk my puppy Madison at least 5 times a week. Now, most of you probably think that is silly, but to me it’s a big deal and most importantly it’s doable. This brings me to resolution #2- this is the difficult resolution: I vow to accomplish #1,3,4,5,6,7,8, & 9 on the list you read above. Why? Why would anyone go after the list of the most commonly broken resolutions? I don’t know why, but I do know this. I’m probably not going to be as mad at myself if I do 1 of the 9 resolutions because to me that’s better than I’ve done in the past and that’s all any of us can really hope for, accomplish a goal.  So below are the resolutions and my modified version on the resolution:

Resolution/My Specifics:

1.    Lose Weight/Get Fit – Walking my Puppy 5 days a week

2.    Learn Something New – Start my MEd. at ASU

3.    Eat Healthier/Diet – South Beach Diet (started Jan. 3, 2011)

4.    Get out of Debt/Save Money – Save an Extra $15/Month

5.    Spend More Time with Family – Modified Keep Up Correspondence w/ Family (FB, Twitter, Email, Blogging)

6.    Travel to New Places – NYC & San Diego (All on the Agenda this year!)

7.    Be Less Stressed – Required Bubble Bath at least 1 time a month with a Lush Bath Bomb!

8.    Volunteer – watch a niece/nephew for my brothers or sisters (obviously modified)

I think this is possible. What do you think? What are your resolutions?

GOOD LUCK to ALL PARTICIPANTS!

Top Christmas Travel Destinations

I was recently perusing one of my usual travel information sites – CNN.com, I came across an article where they listed the Top 10 Places to Spend Your Christmas!

I know a lot of people may be opposed to leaving the comfort of their homes to travel to a different city for the holidays, but what better gift would there be than to take your family on a vacation and not get caught up in the giving and receiving of presents?! So, here is a list compiled by CNNTravel.com of the best Christmas destinations to visit:

1.    Boston, Massachusetts

2.    London, United Kingdom

3.    San Juan, Puerto Rico

4.    Hong Kong, China

5.    New York City, New York

6.    Sydney, Australia

7.    Salzburg, Austria

8.    Pogost, Belarus

9.    Nuremberg, Germany

10. Reykjavik, Iceland

 Going to any of these destinations would be a treat, however seeing them in their holiday spirited/decorated glory I am sure will only add to their wonderfulness!

Don’t forget that if you’re traveling you need to get insured!

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Honeymoon!

It’s no surprise that as the holidays get closer and closer more couples are finding themselves engaged to be married! Having lots of family surrounding you makes getting engaged during the holidays a popular time and with that new engagement comes the planning of not only the wedding, but the honeymoon as well! Here are a few tips I learned from ABC News - Travel for those who are engaged and now planning the honeymoon:

1.    Timing – this is referencing when you want to take your honeymoon. Is it right after leaving your reception, do you want to wait a few months and then take your trip or do you want to plan for the best weather and hold off until the destination has ideal conditions?  All of these scenarios are an important factor and need to be considered when booking.

2.    Regional or Mini-Moon – when you are on a tight budget or the wedding has taken away a few of those stashed vacation days, you may not have the time or the resources to take the desired 2 week vacation.  You may want to consider a closer alternative, look for exotic locations or romantic getaways that are more affordable, but maybe within driving distance to tide you over until you can splurge on a more luxurious or exotic honeymoon location.

3.    Budget – It can’t be said more plainly that just that. Budget. It’s as important as designating the money for flowers at your wedding. A honeymoon can consist of several hidden charges that add up and can leave you in debt and wishing you had planned more efficiently instead of relaxing and enjoying your vacation. Remember that where you go can affect currency exchange, who and how much you tip, if you have baggage fees, cost of meals, or if you need to rent a car.

4.    Involve Guests and Attendees of the Wedding – if you’re struggling to make budget or can’t decide between two fabulous locations ask for input and donations.  There are several websites available where you can set up a poll and also have your guests give towards your honeymoon registry as an option for your wedding present. This way you have an interactive approach to the planning and also a way to reduce the costs! I had a girlfriend who at the reception announced the location of the honeymoon based on the poll!

5.    Each person’s paradise is a different experience - remember to take both of your ideas of the perfect getaway into mind when planning. If one of you likes the beach and the other likes museums head to a neutral location where you can spend a day or two doing an activity the other one likes.

6.    Insure your trip – this tip is coming from me. After spending a lot of money on hotels, plane tickets, and excursions you don’t want to lose everything you’ve saved for and planned for, so plan for the unexpected and insure yourself!

Hopefully, each of these tips will help you plan your perfect getaway!

My Top 10 Travel Gift Ideas

I know that I can spend several hours, days, okay maybe months trying to decide what the perfect gift is for a friend or family member. During the holiday’s you probably get overwhelmed with the discount ads, free shipping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. It can be a mess to find and figure out what to get those closest to you. However, I have a few suggestions or recommendations of my favorites, which are geared specifically toward your frequent traveler, maybe even you!

1.    Kindle – www.amazon.com/kindle $139.00

2.    LUXE City Guides – www.luxecityguides.com  $9.99

3.    Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones – http://www.bose.com/ $349.95

4.    Flip Ultra HD Camera -  www.theflip.com $149.99

5.    Quik Pod – Hand Held Covertible Tripod – http://www.quikpod.com/ $24.95

6.    LUSH – Solid Shampoo – www.lush.com $9.95

7.    Snuggie – www.mysnuggiestore.com $14.95

8.    Banana Republic - Cashmere Ballet Flat – http://www.bananarepublic.com/  $39.50

9.    iPod Nano 8G – www.apple.com/ipodnano - $149.00

10. Insurance – Ins. Svc. of America -  www.overseashealth.com as low as $.80/day

This is a quick list of some of my favorite things that I think any  traveler would be happy to find under the Christmas tree or in a stocking hung with care! These items range from about $10 to $500 a little something for everyone’s budget. I also, wanted to keep this list as gender neutral as possible, however would you pass up a deal on Cashmere Flats? I think not, that is one deal everyone should know about! Don't forget that if you're giving the gift of travel give the gift of travel insurance.

Avoiding the Sniffles

When many of us travel we will generally remember to pack the Tylenol or Advil in case of a headache while we travel. However, it would be nice to be able prevent the common cold or a case of the flu from happening and swooping in to ruin your vacation altogether. I was researching some of the best tips to avoid getting sick while you travel. Some of these tips are recommended before you even leave for your trip.

1.    This seems to be the most obvious, but alas here it is: prepare by getting prescriptions filled and any necessary vaccines as a preemptive attack for any of the local destinations unwanted inhabitants. Remember to bring any meds along with you too!

2.    Wash your hands! One of the most important things you can remember to do is to keep your hands clean. We touch our faces: mouth, nose and eyes several times throughout the day, most of the times we are doing this without even noticing we’re doing it so remember to wash and sanitize!

3.    Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated, especially when flying. Airplanes are breeding ground for germs and are one of the many infested ways to catch a cold. In an attempt to avoid catching anything you need to keep the healthy mucous your body produces maintained by staying hydrated.

4.    On the same topic watch what you are eating and drinking. Contaminated water and food are the leading causes of sickness while abroad. Watch what you are given and what you plan to eat especially water and fruit/veggies. Bottled water is always the safest way to go and any fruit that you need to peal. Food is not maintained, preserved, or cooked in the same sanitary methods we’re used to having here in the States be aware of what you are being served.

5.    Know your environment. Packing essentials for the obstacles you’ll face. If you are going to the beach – sunscreen, burn lotion, hat, etc. If you’re going to the jungle – mosquito lotion/spray, long sleeves, etc. If you are on walking tours – arch supported shoes with clean breathable socks.

6.    Know your limits. If it seems like a bad idea, it probably is a bad idea. If your body is telling you that you should rest or you shouldn’t push any further stop. Get lots of rest, your body becomes more susceptible to germs when it is rundown.

7.    Get travel health insurance. You never know and no matter how many preemptive things you may do to stay healthy we aren’t immune. It’s better to be insured and have that security of coverage.

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Hopefully, by following a few of these or ALL of these tips you can have a happy, healthy, safe journey to your vacation destination sniffle free.

Play Nice. Or Else.

I was recently reading an article on Budget Travel.com’s website where they had a current “experienced” flight attendant give her opinions on what annoyed or made her job difficult, which then made your experience less than friendly.  Some of the things that she listed made sense, others too me, seemed to be listed out of common occurrence which probably is what led to the article in the first place.

She started the article with the annoyance of those who bring their pet onto the plane and then proceed to not follow the FAA regulations of leaving them in their pet traveling case. I totally agree with this attendant in this case. We have come into an age where there are too many “older” women, yes women, who believe that they can let princess or Dolce run amuck and not keep them inside the carrier. Now, I am a pet owner and I still agree with the above statements. I have traveled with my puppy, when we first got her, on a flight and she remained in the case under the seat in front of me for the ENTIRE flight. (She lived by the way) She’s now 60 pounds and will no longer be traveling with me, but even if she still could, I would follow this rule.

The next gripe from the flight attendant is about “those” passengers who run to form a line in the terminal only to board the plane out of order, stick their overhead baggage in the first available bin they see and then continue to the back of the plane where their seat is located. This for me and I’m sure many others out there is very outraging, but the flight attendants solution to this problem would probably outrage me even more if I was put in this situation. The attendant stated that she has sent bags to “cargo,” and she admitted she was doing this out of spite and then taking joy in making this person do extra work to go get this bag that was now in the hands of the airline gods/goddesses. What would happen if this passenger flipped out, missed a connecting flight, lost their baggage, or needed emergency meds? What would the flight attendant or the airline say then…Anything? Anyone?

Now, her next point is a personal pet peeve of mine, but that may be because I’m biased because I am without children. However, I have 8 nieces and nephews so I’ve been around plenty of children and understand what acceptable behavior should and should not entail, so I feel as though I’m allowed to speak on the subject. I back the flight attendant 100% when she says that parents shouldn’t take their flight as a free space where they can pretend that their children are not their own. If you are on a flight watch your children and what they are doing. Not everybody thinks little Susie or Billy are the cutest, greatest thing they’ve ever seen in their lives. Don’t put it on me to tell your child to not kick my chair incessantly or scream at the top of their lungs because their matchbox car rolled to the back of the plane because it fell while we were taking off! Leave all the junk under the plane:  toys, little nibbles of food, etc. because they are only going to lead to more annoyances for the rest of us. I’m not saying to not bring them on the trip out of town, I’m saying don’t bring them out on the plane. If your kid can’t last (and behave) on a 4 hour flight across the country without having his Nintendo DS, he has a problem and so do you.

The next issue I sort of agree with her. The reason I say sort of is because I have run into problems with my overhead luggage. Now, I’m not a crazy packer and know my limits of what I want to carry and lift. However, I stand at an amazing 5’0” and to this I say that no matter what weight my bag is if I have to juggle and shuffle other people’s belongings out of my way to make way for my appropriately sized carry-on just to accommodate it I would expect that a flight attendant seeing my struggle would assist me. She begs to differ and states that no matter what size, shape or condition you and your carry-on are in she would rather you fall and injure others than to help assist you in any way. This brings me to a previous blog I’ve written about customer service. I’m not asking for an extra bag of peanuts or for you to be in a weight lifting competition, or to even smile, however if you see me struggling and you can help me shuffle or if we can tag team the bag wouldn’t that be the appropriate thing to do, but  I digress.

The next two complaints she has I completely disagree with, because I don’t think that it’s really an issue, for her. She states that she cannot stand the people who complain and whine about missing out on the exit row or those who complain about paying too much for their cross country flight. I’d have to believe that by the time someone is sitting in their seat and buckled in ready to take off that they would have got most of their complaining out of the way. Well, first you have your family to tell about your seat and the cost it’s taking to get to see them. Then, you have the booking agent who checks your ID’s and hands you your ill-fated ticket, as well as the gate agent who you stare down with your red daggered eyes. Hey, you even have your seat buddy who is 3 times too big for the seat he’s in which prompts you to remember that you didn’t get that seat you wanted or the fact that you overpaid for your seat, so why is he spilling into it…I’d have to believe after all the complaining to these filler people that by the time you saw your flight attendant and she was asking you what beverage you wanted you would have been out of complaints and simply stated Jack and Coke and they would have replied $10 dollars, too which you would have then had a legitimate fight.

Her last complaint gets on my nerves. “Act like you don't know the meaning of the words "under the seat in front of you." I completely understand what it means when they tell me to shove my $300 purse under the seat in front of me having everyone step on the straps and trip over the pieces that stick out of the sides because airplanes have magically shrunken in the last 10 years. I completely understand that my Ipod, Kindle, Cell Phone, and Wallet will all be smashed because it is completely nonsense that I could easily have put this in the overhead bin, but wait not one of the attendants would help me or there wasn’t enough room because they decided to be ruthless when it came to the idea of sharing. However, to me it seems that no matter how much I kick, push, jab or squish my small purse in tiny space in the seat in front of me, I somehow always find the flight attendant annoyed at how it slightly pokes out. If you don’t like it, fix it yourself.

Now, this blog wasn’t meant to be a rant, however when you think about it, just interacting with airlines these days causes the need to insure yourself. If you’re on a flight where the attendant “misplaces” your bag and you need your stuff once you arrive at your destination do you want to be stuck with the bill? What about, the chance of you throwing out your back trying to lift your luggage into the overhead bin that they refuse to help you with, because it’s not in their “job description?”

Get your travel insurance. Look out for yourself, insure yourself.
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