GadlingTV’s Travel Talk – White Water Rafting (part 2)!

by Stephen Greenwood on

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 28 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ready for part two of Travel Talk’s White Water Rafting adventure?! We’re taking you on the rest of our white water rafting down California’s mighty Tuolumne River on an action packed 2-day adventure. We’ll show you what it takes to navigate Class IV+ rapids and teach you all of the vocabulary that you’ll need in order to stay dry.

In this episode’s couch talk, we’ll explain some of the jargon that rafting guides use to describe the river’s obstacles and give a short run down of some of the world’s best rivers for thill-seeking and white water adventure.

So take a deep breath and get ready for more action!

If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

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Links
Appetite wet for a real rafting trip? Then check out Oars.com for some of the best guided expeditions around the world.
Tuolumn-what? Get familiar with the mighty T!
Want the full rafting glossary? Check out a sample here.

All images used under a Creative Commons license. All music used courtesy of Nonstop Music.

Women travelers have the world at their fingertips with Pink Pangea’s website

by Laurel Miller on

I’m usually allergic to pastels and anything labeled “women-specific,” but Pink Pangea has won me over. The new women’s travel site was launched in June, by world traveler Rachel Trager and two similar-minded female friends. The trio work for an organization that finds overseas volunteer/internship placements for young adults.

Named for the supercontinent that existed 250 million years ago, Pink Pangea is essentially a forum for women’s travel concerns, tips, experiences, and photos. As such, it contains helpful background information and advice on specific destinations and cultural mores.

Says Trager, “We were frustrated that existing travel guides presented–at best–a paragraph that dealt with women’s concerns or non-specific travel information. We know that there’s a lot more information that women need in order to have secure and fulfilling experiences abroad. The hope is for Pink Pangea to help make countries around the world more accessible to women travelers.”

Trager fell in love with travel after working on a kibbutz when she was 18. Since then, she’s traveled extensively by herself, as well as with her brother, friends, and boyfriend. It was while visiting her brother, who was studying Arabic in Egypt, that she first experienced some of the obstacles faced by female world travelers.

“In Cairo, I was scrutinized by my brother’s landlord, who was concerned I was his girlfriend, which would mean that I’d be forbidden to stay with him. In Morocco, I grew tired of the attention I got as an American woman in pants and bought a jalabiya to cover up.” Despite the frustrations that inevitably occur, Trager says, “I travel because I’m interested in seeing how and where other people live. It’s incredibly energizing to realize how large the world really is.”

Popular tags include “modesty,” “safety,” “transportation,” and “shopping.” Even I’ll admit you can’t have a site devoted to women without mentioning shopping; in this case, there are some great tips on regional-specific souvenirs, food, and bargains/rip-offs.

Because this is a public forum, the writing runs the gamut. You’ll find the odd, underage-drinking-in-foreign-country, or “I smoked too much hash in an ashram while journaling”-sounding post, but in general, entries are well-written, informative, entertaining, and often thought-provoking. Lots of cute pics, too.

Ask Gadling: Car rental scams, overcharges and paying for damages you didn’t cause

by Scott Carmichael on

When it comes to rental cars, you can’t really live with them, and you can’t live without them. Despite weird pricing methods, overpriced gas charges and shady insurance tactics, sooner or later you’ll show up somewhere in need of a vehicle.

Thankfully, most rentals will make it from start to finish without any problems, but eventually, you are going to find yourself face to face with a rental company that claims you damaged their car, kept it longer than agreed upon or forgot to fill up the tank.

So, here are tips on how to deal with rental car company deals and scams – and what you can do to prevent and resolve issues.
Always pay attention to the contract

Logical tip, right? Rental car companies are extremely punctual. When you enter your rental information online, you’ll be asked for the exact times you need the vehicle. This is where they’ll get you – show up early, and they’ll add a few hours to the rental, show up late, and they may even charge you an extra day. The funny thing is that if you add extra hours when you place the rental order, the cost almost never goes up.

So – make sure to add a few hours to the front and end of your rental to allow for flight delays or early arrivals. Always print your online rental agreement and bring it with you. If you used a discount code when making the reservation, be sure to bring the coupon or page showing you are entitled to the discount.

When you arrive at the rental desk, take a close look at the contract, and compare it with what you printed at home. Do not let the rental company change the contract without discussing it with you. If you are offered an upgrade, make sure that any overages are charged at the original rate – you wouldn’t be the first to get a free upgrade, but be charged the upgraded rate for returning it an hour late.

If you are using an elite desk to pick up your vehicle, you’ll usually bypass the desk and drive straight to the gate – but even here, you’ll be given a rental agreement before driving off, so take a minute to go over the fine print here, and be sure to mention to the agent any damage you noticed on the vehicle (more on that in a moment.)

When asked whether you need insurance, you’ll usually be offered several different policies – most of which are already included in your own auto insurance policy or credit card. Be sure to check this before you arrive at the airport. Don’t pay for any insurance already covered by your own policy or card.

When renting a car, your credit card is your best friend

If you have a major credit card, chances are it’ll come with a variety of insurance protections built in. If not, consider upgrading to a card that does. When I was faced with a $2900 bill for a quarter inch scratch on a Mercedes I rented in Europe, American Express took care of the whole thing, and all I had to do was sign one piece of paper. Without the card, I would have been on the hook for the entire bill.

Always do a walk-around inspection before accepting your vehicle

What takes 30 seconds, and can save you $3000 on your insurance? (Hint: it does not involve calling Geico.) It is the rental car walk-around. Before driving off the lot, always do a close inspection of the entire care. Renting at night? Pull out your flashlight. Make sure you report every single ding, dent, scratch, scrape or missing body panel to a car rental agent. Then, get them to note it on your rental agreement and make a note of the name of the agent that witnessed the damage.

Never, ever accept their word that it is “ok” – when you return the car with damage that was not your fault, claiming someone said it would be “ok” won’t be enough to get charges waived.

I know how much of a waste of time this is, and I’m sure you just want to get the hell away from the airport and check into your hotel, but damage to rental cars is big business -and if you can’t prove you did not damage the car, you will be charged to get it fixed.

The gas pricing scam

Isn’t it convenient that gas stations around the airport charge up to 20% more than the same brand away from the airport?

I know of one major international airport where the gas station is owned by the largest rental operator – making for a perfectly legal racket. When you rent your vehicle, you’ll be asked how you plan to fill its tank – you’ll either fill it up yourself, have the rental firm fill it up for you upon return (pre-arranged) or just ignore the whole issue and pay $7/gallon when they realize the tank is half empty. Pre-paid gas is a scam because no matter how much you use, you’ll pay for a full tank of gas. The only way to make this work is if you know in advance that you’ll arrive at the airport running on fumes.

Whatever you do – don’t just return the car with an empty tank. Of course, if you are running really late for the last flight of the day, you don’t have a choice, but if you let the rental company take care of filling up the car, they’ll fill it with special Unicorn juice that costs three times the current gas price at the local station.

One word of advise: always keep your gas receipts, and make sure you use a local station no more than 2-4 miles away. I’ve experienced a firm that claimed the gas station I used was too far away to let the car qualify as “full” – so they charged me $15 for what they claimed was two gallons.

Upon returning the car, the rental firm claims you damaged it

Funny how the rental company lets you drive off the lot without checking their car, but insists on checking every corner of it when you bring it back. Even if they don’t do an immediate inspection upon return, rest assured that they will check it out, and charge you for any damage that was not reported on the rental agreement. And don’t think that they’ll ignore a single thing – even the smallest scratch is enough for them to charge you.

If you return a car and the inspection uncovers damage, always check against the rental agreement to see whether the damage was already reported. If the damage is new, and you had not seen it when you inspected it yourself, you are out of luck – and will have to pay for it. If possible, make photos of the damage from all angles and write a clear description of the damage the rental company claims you caused. This will prevent them from adding other damage to the repair bill that was not caused by you.

In some cases, they may not even contact you, they’ll just charge your card for the entire amount they feel is fair. Talk about a nasty surprise when you get your statement.

And get this – they’ll also charge you the full non-discounted rental price for every day the vehicle is out of commission while someone repairs said scratch. This means that the kind of damage you can get fixed at the local body shop for $200, could cost the rental firm $2000 to fix. Rental car damage is big business – and you could end up being the one that funds it.

Now, there are of course incidents where the damage is not only your fault, but also quite evident. In those cases, you’ll want to contact the rental firm before returning the car and contact your own insurance firm or credit card company. If the vehicle is no longer drivable, ask them to bring a replacement.

When returning your car, always ask for a receipt

This is where it pays to give yourself some extra time at the airport. When you return the vehicle, wait for an agent to do their inspection, hand them your gas receipt (unless you want them to fill it up) and ask for a final rental receipt. Yes – in many cases you can just drop it off, leave the keys in the ignition and walk away, but if they overcharge you, you’ll have a hard time fighting this. Like with rental car damage, they’ll simply charge your card without contact you about overages.

[Photos: Hertz rental: Flickr/Alex-S, Car crash: Flickr/Daveeynin, Gas station: Flickr/Fortyseven]

Ask Gadling: You left something on the airplane

by Laurel Miller on

It’s not a good feeling, walking toward baggage claim or a connecting flight, and realizing you forgot an item on the plane. Especially if it’s something valuable, like a brand-new digital camera (not that that happened to me). Okay, it did. I flew Varig into Sao Paulo, and deplaned to catch a connection to Rio. I was halfway to the gate when I realized the camera was missing. I’d removed it from my carry-on to review my pictures mid-flight, and, because I was cracked out on Xanax to quell my aviophobia, forgotten to tuck it back into my bag.

Since I don’t speak Portuguese, it was difficult to explain to airport personnel what had happened, and ask if I could retrieve said camera. I also had a flight to catch, so time was of the essence. I never imagined I would actually be allowed to re-board, due to security measures. Here’s the scary part: the Varig personnel just waved me back onto the empty plane, and let me rip my row apart. I found the camera, made my Rio flight, and vowed never to Xanax and unpack again.

My being allowed back on a plane-unattended, no less-was a freak occurrence. Says flight attendant/Gadling contributor Heather Poole, “Most gate agents/airline personnel can’t help, unless you’ve JUST walked off the flight.”

What to do if you’ve left an item on the plane after you’ve walked away from the gate

Immediately check with the airline’s “airport/terminal lost and found”; that’s where most stuff ends up. Poole says that a passenger’s lost fake tooth once made its way to lost and found.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

If the item doesn’t turn up at lost and found at your destination airport, call the airline and ask where the airplane flew to next. Explains Poole, “There’s a chance it won’t be discovered until the next leg. An airline employee might also have picked it up, and will return it personally, or leave it at your hotel.” Poole herself did this with a $500 check she found inside a book left onboard (can you say “good karma?”).

Realize that policies will vary depending upon the carrier, type of aircraft, and where you happen to be, destination-wise.

Try not to appear frantic or act demanding. You don’t want to arouse suspicions, or piss anyone off. Just calmly state the problem, while making it clear the item is of value.

If you don’t speak the language, hopefully you have a phrasebook handy. I keep a list of emergency phrases to cover my butt in situations like this, so I have them at my immediate disposal. I write them on the inside cover of my phrase book. Lonely Planet also has excellent phrasebooks that contain sentences like “Help, I’ve lost my….” Sign language, as I discovered in Brazil, also works well in a left-item scenario.

Leave your name and contact information, as well as where you’ll be during your visit (if this pertains) with lost and found personnel, or any gate agents/airline personnel you personally speak to. Also get the name and phone number of the person you speak to at lost and found, so you can follow-up, if necessary.

How can I minimize the chances of leaving an item on the plane, or losing it permanently?

  • Unpacking your carry-on, or fiddling with devices while under the influence is a recipe for lost valuables. If you’re flying solo, tape a Post-it note to the seat back in front of you, reminding yourself to to collect everything before deplaning. Sure, you’ll look like an anal-retentive freak. But who cares, as long as you leave with all of your belongings?
  • Don’t stuff valuables in the seat back pocket, especially if under the influence. I always try to keep everything contained to my carry-on, which I stow beneath the seat in front of me. If you normally stash in overhead, keep a compact, reusable shopping bag on you (some have small clips so you can attach to your belt loop). You can put whatever you might need in-flight inside it, thus minimizing the chances of items going astray or falling into the maw of the seat back pocket.
  • Always ID tag carry-on valuables like cell phones, iPod’s, cameras, etc.. I use stick-on address labels; if you don’t want the whole world to know where you live, just put a cell phone number and email.
  • Even if you didn’t unpack anything in-flight, do a sweep of your seat and floor before deplaning. I’ve had items fall out of not-fully zipped, or elasticized pockets on my carry-on.

Lost and found contact numbers for major U.S. carriers

While researching this piece, I quickly discovered that many airlines don’t have a general number for lost and found. Most require you to fill out an online form, or report missing items in person at the destination airport.

United: 1-800-221-6903.

American Airlines: If I may put my two cents in (and I will), AA has the most idiotic lost and found/customer service policy. There is no general number, so you must “call the Lost and Found office of the specific airport to or from which you were traveling.” Which is awesome, because none of these offices are open 24 hours. When I called the Delayed Baggage number to explain who I was and what I was writing about, and if they could provide me with a general number to assist readers, I was told, “You can send a written letter to customer relations.” Thanks, AA. You rock.

Delta: Click here to report your missing item.

Continental: Click here to report your missing item.

Southwest: Report missing item in person within four hours at your destination.

Jet Blue: “Articles found onboard an aircraft will be placed in the JetBlue lost and found area of the destination city. You may call the JetBlue Baggage Service office at the airport to inquire about your lost item.”

Alaska: 1-800-25-7522, say “More options,” then “Baggage information.”

Frontier: Click here to report your missing item.

Virgin America: Contact one of these lost and found offices.

If you leave any item at any TSA security check, call 1-866-289-9673.

[Photo credits: electronics, Flickr user Burnt Pixel; cat, Flickr user dulcenea]

Budget Stockholm: How to afford a summertime trip to Sweden

by Grant Martin on

Stockholm has an expensive reputation — those who return from a visit to this swanky Swedish capital rave about its slick design, luxurious cuisine and modern amenities. As a result, would-be travelers automatically expect it will be more expensive than other European destinations. It isn’t.

Though subtle, the capital of Sweden has a thriving and widespread budget culture – you just have to look in the right places to find it.

First off, it goes without saying that general budget travel tips hold true to this city. For example, if you want to save money it’s probably not the best idea to stay in the luxurious Grand Hotel or eat at five star restaurants every night. It also helps to pack a lunch, take the extensive public transportation and avoid tourist traps. That said, a few local tips apply well to the city, and Gadling’s ebullient and knowledgeable staff have compiled some below.

Dining

Swedes take their food very seriously, and it’s quite easy to spend one’s entire daily food budget on a simple, fresh cooked meal. Eating on a shoestring here can thus be a bit of a challenge, but there are plenty of ways to stay frugal.

Food markets are a great way to find great, fresh food at reasonable prices. Perhaps the most popular (and certainly the most hyped), Östermalms Saluhall (Östermalmstorg, 114 42) is one part tourist attraction and one part high-end food market. Among the myriad vendors, there are several tables available for taking a seat and enjoying a freshly prepared lunch, great places to sit, munch on some fresh herring and watch the commerce pass you by.

As an alternative to Saluhall, the more modest and less expensive Hötorgshallen (Hötorgshallen, 11157) is also in the center of Östermalm right next to the Hötorget metro stop. During the daytime, one can also find fresh, farmer’s market fare and the occasional flea market in the cobblestone, airy Hötorget Square.

For inexpensive restaurants, it’s best to take a few steps away from the popular downtown areas and seek out some outstanding, neighborhood digs. Though it’s still close to the city, SoFo (short for South of Folkungagatan) is a great place to explore and find a new favorite haunt. Moving west on Skanegatan street you wont get more than three blocks before you find a fantastic new restaurant, but if you want our pick, try the Urban Deli (Nytorget 4).

Recommended by several guides including TimeOut, Cliff Barnes (Norrtullsgatan 45) serves decent Swedish fare to a younger, more raucous crowd. If you stay past 11 be prepared to dance, past 11:30, prepared to dance on the tables.

On the deepest budget end of the spectrum, street food is always a possibility in Stockholm, and those open to the idea of fried onions will be pleasantly surprised by the hot dog culture here. Just north of the Medborgarhuset Metrostop on Götgatan (incidentally a huge bar area) there are plenty of options available.

Finally, if you’re interested in a bit of vegetarian fare, our good friend and Stockholm resident Doug Lansky suggests Hermans (Fjällgatan 23B) for a wide spread of delicious, all-you-can-eat, contemporary Swedish cooking.

Accommodations

Like in any destination, when demand is high (during the summer, ie) hotel prices are similarly high. Where this doesn’t regularly apply is in the private market. None of VRBO’s three (only three?!) properties host seasonal rates, and some creative Google searching will surely locate another sheaf of possible rental properties.

If hotels are your thing, however, fret not. Eurocheapo lists a variety of inexpensive hotel options scattered around the city, and a cross-reference of lowest-priced Kayak hotels against the Tripadvisor database should yield a few options inside of the city limits. Additionally, Frommer’s hosts the entirety of their hotel database online where you can reverse sort by price.

Note that while summer rates will still be high, you may be able to find a few deals during the Midsommar festival near the end of June, when many locals are out of town and when hotel loads are similarly light. Be advised, however, that you may have to deal with creative holiday schedules.

As an alternative to traditional hotel lodging, Stockholm also has a wide range of unique hostels from The Red Boat Mälaren (it’s a boat!), on Lake Mälaren to the Jumbo Hostel (it’s an airplane!) outside of Arlanda Airport.

Tourist Attractions

It might be cliché, but one of the best inexpensive tourist attractions in Stockholm is people watching. From the moment you set foot in the Stockholm airport you’ll probably notice that everyone is gorgeous, and many an hour have Gadling staff spent sitting at Muggen Cafe (Götgatan 24) in Södermalm celebrating various passers-by.

Digressions aside, the best way to tackle most of the city’s sites on a budget is with a tourist pass. Providing free access to scores of museums and attractions, The Stockholm Card is one of your best bets for universal tourist access. Prices range from $50 to $90 and if you plan on going to more than a couple of museums the cost is totally worth it. You can acquire the card prior to departure online or downstairs at the airport once you arrive.

If approaching the museum scene piecewise, make sure to keep the Vasa Museum (Djurgårdsvägen 36) near the top of your list. Centered around a painstakingly restored 17th century ship (in its entirety), the Vasa is one of the most unique attractions in the world, is multilingual and offers free admission to anyone 18 or younger. Admission for adults is $15 or free with the above Stockholm Card, and a visit here can easily last half of a day.

Another excellent and inexpensive museum is the recently opened Fotografiska (Stadsgårdshamnen 22), which currently features an outstanding Annie Leibovitz exhibit and a slightly creepier fetal photography series. Admission runs around $14.

Outside of the tourist scene, one great way to explore the region and enjoy the natural beauty of Stockholm is via the ferry system. Since everyday Swedes rely on this network to commute between downtown and the hundreds of archipelago islands, prices are relatively low and the variety of destinations quite high. Vaxholm, for example, is a bucolic, beautiful island town only an hour away from downtown Sweden and can provide a full day of exploration and socializing.

Ferries can be picked up across the city. A major hub from which tourists can get further directions is right in front of the Grand Hotel in Östermalm.

Finally, keep your surroundings in mind when planning out your frugal trip into Stockholm. Though budget options are available, the city is built upon a foundation of high quality, well-done goods and services. It’s thus best to leave a bit of wiggle room in your overall budget, even if you’re the best penny pincher in the county. Rest assured, that on a budget or a binge Stockholm will always please.