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Travelers who own a Nokia mobile phone but can’t replace their current sim card (the chip in the back) with the local country’s sim can now get it unlocked. This website provides a code to unlock your phone in three easy steps, for only $4.95. Once you remove the service provider lock and sim lock from a compatible Nokia mobile phone you are set free from the monopoly, and free to buy a local sim card to get a local number and much cheaper rates (including free incoming calls). If you want to get a local sim before you leave, check out our partner site: www.JohnnyJetCellPhones.com. BONUS WEBSITE | ||
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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." Check Out Johnny Jet's New Blog! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greetings from California! Last week we left off in Laguna Beach. This week we have some fun in the sun in L.A. and San Diego. Before we get started I want to alert everyone that we made a Hurricane Katrina webpage. It's for everyone affected by the hurricane - which is all of us. On that page -- besides travel news -- is information on where to donate money, miles and points. Please do what you can, and keep everyone in your prayers. AVP After rejuvenating in Laguna Beach I went back home to L.A. to catch up on my work. Over the weekend I went to the Manhattan Beach Open . This event is considered the Wimbledon of beach volleyball, and the finals were televised nationally on NBC. I went to both the men’s and women’s finals, and for the first time I enjoyed the women’s more. Not because they are nicer to look at, but because their games were more exciting (even despite better seats for the men’s). The best part of the AVP is the atmosphere. To kick it off, some hot actress/singer in a bikini stands on top of a Baywatch-esque lifeguard truck and belts out the national anthem. Then the MC gets everyone in the whole stadium riled up about being on national TV, and gets everyone to do the wave. But it’s not your ordinary stadium wave; here they do in all different speeds, including slow motion. That’s really freaky. I’m sure there were passersby thinking they drank too much the night before -- I sure did, and I don’t even drink. If you go on Friday or early Saturday you can catch some of the best players, like Karch Kiraly, up close on the smaller side courts. To see if the AVP is coming to a beach near you, click here. If you’re interested in beach volleyball history, click here. DODGERS In L.A. I also took in a couple of Dodger games with friends. Tickets aren’t that expensive (they range from $5-$75), but they get you once you’re there. Parking costs more than some tickets ($10). And if you’re hungry or thirsty, you better have lots of cash: $5 for bottled water, $5 for peanuts, $4.75 for an all-beef Dodger dog. When I asked what was in the inexpensive dog, the guy said, "Bits and pieces of toes, fingernails, and stuff you don’t want to eat." I made a few nasty expressions, then said, "You sold me. I’ll take the all-beef please." No matter how much it cost, Dodger stadium is still worth it -- It’s one of my favorite ballparks. I love the atmosphere, the location with 3,400 trees covering 300 acres, and the incredible views of downtown L.A. As an added bonus, Vin Scully broadcasts Dodger games. If you can’t make it to the stadium, lie down with your eyes closed and turn on the radio or TV, and let him bring you virtually to the ball park. Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA. TO SAN DIEGO While I was at a Dodger game my cousin A.J. called and invited me to see the Padres play in San Diego. Of course I said I was in, because ever since they got a new stadium last year I wanted to check it out. (One of my life goals is to go to all 30 major league ballparks. I’ve been to 14, but teams keep building new ones which messes me up). When I asked him "when?" I wasn’t expecting "tonight." However, just being at one ball game already wouldn’t prevent me from going to another. I told him I’d meet him there. If I had known earlier I could have jumped on the 2 hour, 40-minute Amtrak train (called the Surfline Coaster) from nearby Union Station for $26 each way. I hear the train is real easy, scenic, and takes you right to downtown. But because I needed to go home to change clothes and grab my overnight bag, I drove the 120 miles. As usual I hit some traffic along the way, so it took me two and a half hours. PETCO PARK The Padres stadium is called PETCO Park (I’m not a fan of the name either). The stadium is in the heart of downtown, with easy access by car, trolley, the Surfline Coaster, bus and (in the future) water taxis. Architecturally, the stadium is magnificent. The exterior features natural stone and stucco, with lovely landscaping and waterfalls. Inside the concourses are spacious, open and airy. The 42,445 seats are comfortable, with cup holders and extra leg room -- and there’s not a bad seat in the house. For my first visit I got styled in a BIG way! While I was still on the freeway A.J. had a cool guy named Darin, who works for the Padres, call me and give me directions to a special parking lot. When I pulled in Darin was there waiting with a golf cart and a security guard (like I needed security). As they shuttled me into the stadium the back way I was thinking "are you kidding me?" – but it was only the beginning. Our seats gave us access to fine dining in a posh restaurant and lounge, a private bar, and in-seat service. And get this: It was all included in the price of the ticket. I have no idea how much these tickets cost (only 200 people have them), but regular tickets run from $5 to $55. PADRES VS THE REDS AJ and his good friend Nick were already in these amazing seats, right behind home plate. We were so close that I could not only see but FEEL the game (I won’t bad mouth the Yankees when they strike out any more—because those pitches were coming in at lightening speed). The Padres were playing the Cincinnati Reds, and Nick and AJ have mutual friends on the team. As a Yankee fan I didn’t care who won, but because of their friends I was rooted for the Reds like they were the Yanks. Fortunately, San Diego is not like other cities where if you cheer for the visiting team you better prepare to rumble (though we were heckled a bit). The park is really awesome, and I had so much fun I went back two weeks later. This time I sat way out in right field, and it was still great. The food options are way better than any other stadium I have been to, and the prices were cheaper than Dodger Stadium. My favorite part of the park is that it’s built around the 95-year-old Western Metal Supply Company Building, to which the left-field foul pole is attached. I didn’t go inside, but it looks neat. PETCO PARK tours are available until October 1, 2005; Tuesday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.; $9 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for children under 12. Call 619-795-5011, or email tours@padres.com. The most convenient hotel is the Omni, which is attached to the ballpark by a skybridge. REDS As you can tell I’m a huge baseball fan, so I was blown away when some of the players chatted with AJ and Nick while they in the on-deck circle. After the game we waited for some of the players in a tunnel near the locker rooms. Two of their friends, Adam Dunn and Ryan Freel, came out and invited us to the locker room. I’ve never been in a major league locker room before, so it was a huge treat. It was especially fun to see guys like Ken Griffey Jr., who I watch on TV, just hang out. I didn’t want to look like a fool so I didn’t take many pictures, but the locker room was plush and all the players were really friendly. Ryan gave me one of his bats – how cool is he? SIDE BAR After a while everyone agreed it was time to go out. Nick threw me the keys because he knew I wanted to drive his brand new SUV (though he warned me the car was his wife’s "baby"). I drove with Adam Dunn in shotgun (the dude is 6-5), AJ, Nick and Felipe Lopez (shortstop) in the back seat, and Ryan in the way back with the glass hatch open. (The dude is hilarious -- he insisted on sitting back there because he was the smallest). Since the stadium is downtown we should have walked the few blocks to the to the Gas Lamp district, where all the happening bars and restaurants are. We didn’t realize traffic was so insane on weekends until after we pulled out of the exit. It took 20 minutes to go a few blocks. Parking is not cheap in this area (most charged $13, and valet was $20). We went to a popular place called SideBar (it’s so hip they don’t even have a sign). The line wrapped around the place, but when you’re rolling with baseball players and Nick Lachey lines aren’t a problem. We got the VIP treatment in a big way. We were escorted right in, and brought to a private section. The girls were going so nuts, they had to put four security guards into a human wall. I was thinking, "Why you blocking them?!" When Nick, Felipe and I had to go to the bathroom, I asked a guard where the loo was. He said, "In the back -- wait one minute." He grabbed another guard and put us in the middle, while they parted the crowd with their flashlights. Then they prevented anyone else from going in to the bathroom until we were done. I was like, "Damn! This is crazy!" Sidebar, 536 Market St, San Diego; tel.: 619- 696-0946. THE NEXT DAY We all went to bed early. We slept at the monster house of a friend of AJ’s (who wasn’t even there) in La Jolla. The place was so nice that it was used it in the movie "Traffic." It was pretty cool the next day when I turned on the tube and saw Ryan, Felipe and Adam. They all played really well, and Dunn hit a grand slam to help the Reds win. The Reds players were so cool that Cincinnati is my new second favorite baseball team. NBTA The second time I went to San Diego was for the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) conference. Every year it’s held in a different city (next year is Chicago). I like going to this conference because not only do I hang out with my travel writing friends, but I get to hear and check out major business travel industry news before anyone else. This year more than 5,200 corporate travel professionals attended the four-day conference. My favorite part is walking the trade show floor. Over 400 companies showcased their products and services, using 102,100 square feet of exhibition space – that’s huge. Among the highlights were sitting in some of the airlines’ new premium seats, and learning about new services like a start-up business class-only airline called EOS. EOS will begin flying 757’s from New York to London this month with only 48 plush seats (instead of the usual 200). All of the booths are very creative, and companies try to outdo each other by giving away free drinks, food, goodies and gifts. Every day during the two-hour lunch, top keynoters spoke. The first was Tom Ridge. The former Secretary of Homeland Security discussed the current state of security, and its impact on travel. On the second day Deborah Norville (host of "Inside Edition") talked about finding a balance between professional and personal responsibilities. Finally, John Major -- former prime minister of the United Kingdom – spoke about the global economy. ESTANCIA During the conference I stayed 15 miles away at a new boutique hotel called Estancia. It’s located in La Jolla (near the beaches, close to San Diego's finest golf courses, and not far from major San Diego attractions) on 10 acres of property that were once owned by the Scripps Family, the noted philanthropists. In 1948 it was turned into an equestrian ranch, to train young thoroughbreds. Pulling into the gravel driveway (self park $15, valet $17) I felt as if I had traveled to the Old West. The setting was simple: California rancho-style architecture with several low rise buildings featuring red-tile roofs and faux-adobe walls, built around beautifully landscaped courtyards and patios. The staff were all friendly, and dressed in chic tweed vests, white shirts and khaki pants. The bellmen wore matching tams. This hotel and spa attracts both business (free wireless internet) and leisure travelers, who come to relax and enjoy the beautiful, serene setting. There are 210 well decorated rooms and suites (the different colors work well: my room had a pumpkin color chair, green armoire and red door). The beds are comfortable, and the bathroom is immaculate. Many rooms have balcony/patios, which make for relaxing places to chill. I was busy mingling at NBTA so I did not have time to eat in one of the three hotel restaurants, but they looked very cozy and tasty. I wasn’t able to try out the spa, either. It offers citrus body scrubs and outdoor massages. That’s part of the reason this place was nominated as one of Conde Nast Traveler’s 2005 "Hottest New Hotels in the World." I did find time to relax in one of the hammocks by the pool and Jacuzzi. An outdoor fireplace is nearby -- a perfect place to warm up on chilly Southern California evenings. Rates start at $169. Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, 9700 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla; tel.: 858-550-1000. Happy Travels, Johnny Jet *Please tell us what you think of this week's newsletter!
Editor-In-Chief Johnny Jet Editor Dan Woog | |||||||||||||||||||||