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WEB CAMS OF THE WEEK |
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| WEBSITE OF THE WEEK |
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This week we have two great websites for anyone heading to Australia. The first, the Transport Infoline (www.131500.info), makes it easy to get information such as timetables, tickets and fares for trains, buses and ferries in the greater Sydney area. It also finds the quickest route from point A to point B in Sydney. Our second website provides travelers an incredible opportunity to see Antarctica without taking a hairy plane or boat ride. Passengers don’t even need to bring their winter coat. That’s because Qantas Airlines (through a travel agent) offers special Antarctica Sightseeing Flights aboard a 747. They depart from Australia and return 12 hours later to the same airport. (It’s considered a domestic flight, so there are no customs hassles). Within three hours of takeoff passengers see their first sea ice and icebergs. Then the plane spends four hours hovering over Antarctica (they fly 10,000 feet above sea level, bringing passengers within 2,000 feet of the highest ground). The remaining four hours is spent traveling home. Expert Antarctic expeditioners on board talk about polar environment and history; video screenings depict life on the ground, and a camera on the flight deck gives a pilot’s-eye view of magnificent plateaus, vast mountain ranges and expanses of permanent ice. | ||
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HYPER LINK = WEBSITE HOUSE KEEPING: Remember when you click on the pictures in "Where's Johnny Jet," they will open up in another window. Just click the "x"(close) in each picture to get back to the newsletter. This should alleviate complaints about closing Johnny Jet. Thanks again for your support, and remember: If you book trips on the web, please go through JohnnyJet.com. (It will save you money). "Maps of Johnny's travels courtesy of MyTripJournal.com. Start a travel website of your own for free now." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greetings. We pick up in chilly Chicago. I was in the Windy City for one night, to do a travel segment on local TV. After the show I met one of our sharp tech guys (JohnnyJet.com is hosted with CitiTechs, based Chicago) for a late dinner. We ate way too much, which is not unusual when dining at the Cheesecake Factory (there are four in Illinois; we went to the one on Michigan Avenue, closest to my hotel). That street, all lit up before Christmas, is a wonderful sight. Just make sure to dress like you’e going to Antarctica. (Speaking of Antarctica, check out our Website of the Week). The Cheesecake Factory: 875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago; tel.: (312) 337-1101. The next day, after a very tasty (and pricey) breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel, I was back in ORD (Chicago O’Hare). Going through security, the TSA agent asked me, "How was Fiji?" When I looked at her like in amazement, she said she saw me talking about it on TV the night before. I thought I’d found a cool TSA agent who appreciated my travel deals – but then she escorted me over to the secondary screening table to get my bag tested for explosives. I guess she didn’t my deals that much. Four Seasons Chicago: 120 E. Delaware Place, Chicago; tel.: (312) 280-8800. The flight to Los Angeles was smooth and uneventful – no rumbling stomach, thank God. I was in town just long enough to attend some Christmas parties with family and friends. The biggest party was open to the public in downtown Manhattan Beach. Every second Sunday of December, the city closes off part of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and throws a huge shindig. The place was completely packed. Everyone (including me ) was dressed as if we are in Chicago – even though it was 57 degrees. (I know it’s all relative -- if it had been 57 in Chicago, people would have worn shorts. But this wasn’t Chicago; it was Southern California.) The highlights were singing Christmas carols to a great band, and watching fireworks light up the sky. It’s always one of the best nights of the year in the South Bay, and this year was no exception. Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce: 425 15th Street, Manhattan Beach, CA; tel.:(310) 545-5313. Christmas Eve and Christmas morning I did the family thing with my cousin’s. That’s always a good time and no one ever leaves hungry. I didn’t feel like getting on another plane, but I really wanted to see my dad, especially after his best friend, JohnAlberino, had just passed away. I cashed in my last miles on US Air, and flew from LAX to Erie via Philadelphia. Unfortunately USAir.com is a nightmare when trying to use miles, and trying to get a live award reservations agent — furgedaboutit! I seriously couldn’t get through to anyone. The best I got before the system hung up on me was a recording to call back later — then click! I was furious, particularly when I called back many times over several days -- including after midnight. Finally I got smart, and called a regular domestic ticket agent. I knew they would answer that line (and they did). I politely asked the agent to redeem an award ticket for me. She did, and I was able to get a Christmas day flight without a problem. Trying to get home, however, was a whole other story. The earliest award seat wasn’t until January 13th — a little late, right? I even checked every alternate airport (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo) — nothing. Just for the heck of it, I checked the entire Northeastern seaboard -- still nothing! Instead I used my ticket one-way, and took a little detour (more on that later). US Airways: tel.: 800-428-4322. If you have to fly over the holidays, Christmas Day is usually the best. There are a lot fewer travelers, people are usually in good moods, and the fares are cheaper (it’s also one day you can use a last-minute frequent flier ticket). My 4 ½-hour flight to Philly on an AirBus 321 had a bunch of empty seats. When I landed I was starving, because I hadn’t wanted any of USAir’s onboard food. But it was 9:30 p.m., and the only places open were a dirty-looking Philly Cheese Steak shop and Sbarro’s. As you can tell from the line, it was a no-brainer. It’s always smart to eat where there are lots of people -- that way you know the food is fresh. I grabbed a $3 slice of pizza and ran to my connection. The plane to Erie, a 50-seat regional jet, was surprisingly packed. The reason, as you probably have heard, is that US Air and Comair (a Delta affiliate) had a ton of cancellations Christmas day. That wreaked havoc for thousands of passengers -- including the people sitting next to me. How about their crazy day? They left Ft. Lauderdale for Cincinnati at 6:30 a.m., but after landing at 9 were told their flight to Erie -- and everywhere else -- was cancelled. All the rental cars were sold out; all the buses and hotels were booked. After 10 hours of arguing they were put on a US Air flight to Philly, then to Erie. That’s torture! At least the trip from Philadelphia to Erie was only 55 minutes, and the air was smooth. I don’t know how I got so lucky to make the trip — including my bag -- without incident. Speaking of luck: When I left L.A. it was beautiful. Two days later they got pounded by rain, which didn’t stop until after I returned. When I arrived in Erie it had just started to warm up to 30 degrees -- from 2 the day before. That meant I enjoyed excellent Christmas weather: temperatures were in the 30’s, with snow showers. The day after I left Erie, in came warm temps and rain. There’s nothing I despise more than 40- degrees and rain. All the snow got washed away, and people said everything got brown and depressing. My next stop was Florida (more on that later). The day we landed was their first warm day in a week (it had been in the 50’s the night before), and there was nothing but hot sun for my 10-day stay. For once I can say I made all the right moves when it comes to weather. What a way to start off the new year! Back to Erie: As we landed just before midnight, I looked out the window. The town was all lit up from the snow and the Christmas lights. It was a beautiful sight, and I started singing to myself, "It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas." My dad was waiting for me at the gate, which brought a huge smile to my face. So did this sign (it says Erie International now has free high-speed internet). My dad was in Erie because that’s where his fiancee Nancy lives, and where my sister Carol has a summer home. Carol, her husband Tom, and their kids Amanda and John were also in town to celebrate the holidays. Besides spending time with my dad, the highlight was sleigh-riding with my niece, nephew and sister on a golf course. Dumb Uncle Johnny almost got killed when he decided to take a dare from little Johnny and his friends to go down the steepest hill, which included a 3-foot jump. I didn’t think it looked too bad, until I got a foot away from the launching pad at full speed. My 203-pound body looked like I had been shot from a cannon. Too bad the Guinness book of world records wasn’t there, because I was flying like Superman. I lost my sled in midair, but luckily for me my head broke the fall (ouch!). At least the kids got a good laugh. After catching my wind I decided it was time for Uncle Johnny to call it a day. After all, I had more snow down my pants and up my shirt than a snowman. Luckily, I had brought a change of clothes. I told my sister I would be waiting in the car, which is where I decided I should change into my dry clothes. I got everything off, except I couldn’t pull my twisted boxers and pants off my ankles. That’s when I noticed in the rear view mirror my sister Carol walking toward the car with a friend I had never met. Let’s just say everyone was thoroughly embarrassed. Since sledding was so much fun (for the kids), Carol and I decided to take Johnny, Amanda and our friend Heidi 45 minutes away to Peek ’n’ Peak. It’s in New York State, and because it’s not a big mountain (locals call it a molehill), it’s a great place for families or people just learning to ski. Instead of hassling with renting skis or snowboards, though, we went tubing. How cool is this operation? Visitors don’t need to bring their own tube or even walk up the hill. Instead we just sat down and enjoyed the 5-minute tow. Unfortunately the temps were in the high 30’s, which made for slow rides. Tickets, available by the hour, are not expensive. A 1-hour ticket costs $10; 2 hours is $14, while a 3-hour ticket goes for $18 -- and tubes are included. The funniest part was when we arrived, and little Johnny said, "I want a red tube." Look at this pic to get the joke. The slopes are open from 9:30 a.m. (8:30 on weekends) to 10 p.m. There are 75-cent lockers for personal belongings, and a nice indoor cafe area with typical fast food. Peek ’n’ Peak: 1405 Olde Rd., Findley Lake, NY; tel.: 716-355-4141. Ski Conditions, Tubing Info. Speaking of food: A great place to eat in Erie is Greg’s Restaurant. We went there twice. You’ll never guess where it’s located: in the airport. It seems funny to go to an airport to eat, but this place has the best steaks and chicken parm in town. It’s nothing special inside, but your palate will love it. Greg's Place at the Erie International Airport: 4411 W. 12th St., Erie, PA; tel.: (814) 838-8715. Because I couldn’t get home to L.A. standby using my frequent flier miles on USAir, and all the one-way tickets priced out ridiculously high ($475), I hitched a ride on a private jet my brother-in-law Tom rented to go back to their home in Florida. One-way tickets from South Florida to L.A. were only $99, and besides: who can turn down a spin on a private jet? We were on a Lear 31, which Tom said was too small for all of us (I thought it was perfect). Flying private is like a fantasy, and too expensive to get used to. There are no rude agents or security lines to deal with, and no waiting around for other passengers. Once you board the plane, you take off. We had a lot of fun playing games, eating, napping, and looking out the window. The flight to West Palm Beach took only 2 hours and 19 minutes, which is nothing short of remarkable. The quickest commercial flight from Erie would take at least four hours, because travelers need to make a connection. By the way, I finally found time to learn how to edit the short video clips I’ve been shooting on my camera. They’e nothing fancy, but they are quick to open and fun to watch. Here is a 19-second clip of the flight down to Florida. If you want to see past videos that I linked in the newsletters but probably took way too much time to download, here they are: Next week: Florida stories! Happy Travels, Johnny Jet *Please tell us what you think of this week's newsletter! RESOURCES and book all your online travel through JohnnyJet.com. 
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Post-hurricane Caribbean: Are the islands ready for tourism? This summer's hurricanes may seem like ancient history to most of us, but several Caribbean islands are still recovering from the damage caused by the storms. The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman Island were among the heaviest hit of the popular tourist destinations, and many resorts and tourist attractions had to close for repairs. Click Here To Read Article |
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