Guide to Girl Getaways

The NIGHTMARE That Is Allegiant Air

Dana — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:41:59 +0000

If you are ever in a rush to go somewhere or you are expecting comfort when you fly, then I would avoid Allegiant Air at all costs. The Pea and I were traveling to see family in North Carolina. It was a spur of the moment kind of trip, only for a couple days, and really should have gone seamlessly. You ever have one of those moments where you have an epiphany and that epiphany says to you: “this is a bad idea, turn around and go home!” Well both Aly and I experienced this while waiting for our flight and we really should have listened to our intuition and did just that. First, there is problems with the plane (keep in mind we could see the plane from the viewing window), which Allegiant Air failed to tell us until fifteen minutes before we boarded. This kept us waiting an hour and a half past the expected departure. Then the pilot suffers from some sort of sickness and had to go home, that was another hour tacked onto the original hour and a half wait. So there we were waiting for the pilot, I am beyond livid and Aly is trying to explain to the family why we no longer feel comfortable taking this flight and no longer want to get on the plane. I am on the phone with Allegiant Air explaining the scenario, telling them that I am unhappy, would much prefer a refund or a ticket for another flight and then the lovely customer service representative all of a sudden fakes the fact that she can no longer hear me and hangs up on me! Since it was Aly’s family that we were visiting I left the decision up to her about our soon to be misadventure…needless to say after much deliberation and a three and a half hour stand still the pilot shows up and we decide to board the plane after all. We figured if anything this would be a fantastic story to blog about (obviously).

Think it stops there….it doesn’t! Would you believe that Allegiant Air due to all the problems decided that they would “gift” us with a complimentary beverage? Are they kidding? They should have offered us lunch, snacks, and a cocktail (for those of age of course!) for the trouble we just went through. Apparently they thought a $2 Coke was sufficient. Not to mention what the plane looked like….do you remember back in the 80’s those Delta planes with the blue pleather seats and the cigarette ashtrays that you pushed to open? I kid you not….it was that EXACT plane…they must have purchased these from the Delta graveyard at a very reasonable rate because they couldn’t even afford the electronic sign on the overhead reminding you not to smoke, instead there were literally “no smoking” stickers…at this point Aly and I are delirious and hungry so all we could do at this point was laugh…thank god! Oh and we did purchase snacks, but boy were we cranky that we even had to do that. The only compensation was the extremely nice individual at the front desk who made sure that Aly and I were sitting together, because if we weren’t, I may have had to have been strapped down to my seat.

So if you couldn’t tell by this rant…my review on Allegiant Air is that I would avoid it at all costs, even though the prices are low and decent and in this economy, who isn’t enticed by that? Unless of course you do not mind that you might not be anywhere near your expected arrival for where you are going, have plans once you arrive, have to seat on an overly crowded plane practically sitting on the lap of the person next to you, and have hidden costs all throughout the website…if you don’t mind these things, then by all mean purchase your next flight through them. Keep in mind, this was not just a bad day for Allegiant, the people sitting adjacent to us in the airport were griping to us while waiting for the new un-sick pilot that they have had problems every time that they booked a trip through them…personally I wouldn’t go through the hassle and if I am looking to save money, I will just stick to Spirit even with the bag I have to fit under the seat.

Although I will say that once again on my trip home, my flight with Spirit was once again delayed, but that is another story for another blog

3floz.com..Where Have You Been All My Life? or…Did I Need You At All?

Dana — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:15:46 +0000

I know you will find this hard to believe, but I am a travel supplies junkie…from the purchasing new outfits, new bag, new sandals…all the way to my content sigh that I make when I am in the travel size section of Target. I have heard amongst the different makeup and travel blogs how 3floz.com is the site to shop at for all of your traveling essentials and that it has all the higher end products that us girls love, but may not covet the price, such as Blow, Supergoop (these are sunscreen wipes…le sigh of awesomeness), Philip B, etc. This is also nice since even though you may not be traveling it gives you an opportunity to either try the product or if it is a product that you do love and use frequently, having the smaller version makes it more mobile efficient rather than lugging the actual sized one with you everywhere. Personally I love their slogan of: for those of you who travel, those who are curious, and those who can’t commit.

Since reading the raves, I have avoided this site like the plague since I am a product junkie and know that I would be buying endless supplies of small items, just to “have them.” Before I begin to wreak havoc on this site, I am just going to have to take a couple small breaths and remind myself of my new mantra when I am putting things in the virtual shopping basket: “do I really need this?”

Talk about being a goldfish and being distracted my shiny objects, I do not know where to look first…I am trying to control and limit myself, so literally I have a post-it note in front of me with all my restrictions…if you have a tendency to over purchase or get carried away, I suggest doing the same thing. First I made a list of things I absolutely DID NOT need, such as; travel toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, shave lotion, shaver…the essentials that I already have and can easily buy the smaller versions of in Target…there are just something things you can scrimp on and do not need to buy the expensive versions of (unless is a lengthier trip)…I already own the Aveda color care shampoo and conditioner travel versions of so I was good there;). By making notes of the items you don’t need, it will keep from looking unnecessarily at other sections, such as; shower items. Secondly, I made an estimated amount that I was willing to spend in addition to writing down the list of products I had at home and love, but can easily be transferred into travel size containers (this is when I suggest also purchasing a label maker so you can easily distinguish what everything is). There is no need to spend the same amount or more for something that you already have just because it comes in a travel size (of course this is easier said than done with me, you know how quickly I can turn to the dark side and convince myself otherwise).

Thus with post-it notes in front of me and a firm quick mental reminder of my mantra “do I really need this”, I began to shop. Now keep in mind I just surveyed the site and began writing this without fully participating in the shopping experience….now with a more insightful eye, I am able to give this a more thorough review and maybe my love was a little premature. First thing I noticed was the exorbitant price of many of the items and how this could easily and quickly add up…Plus I realized that in order to get free shipping, you have to spend $100 or more, which surprisingly on this site is a lot easier than you would think. This also becomes time extensive in that you begin to search the web for online free shipping coupons. In addition, I realized that there is so many brands out there that I thought they could benefit from that they did not have like; Bumble and Bumble (I am a sucker for this line), Aveda (I love everything from this line and even thought its expensive, I use it religiously), etc. I also felt that the item descriptions were lacking and there was a necessity for reviews not just on opinions regarding the product, but the size and amount of product as well. So to be honest, even though I love this site, I think it’s limited and they should add more reasonably priced things as well and not just the Yes to Carrots line (which by the way I could save the shipping on and walk right across the street to the Walgreens), but I did pick up some things that were interesting. I love a good beach spray, so I picked up Blow’s Beach Blow Texturizing Mist, Yes to Cucumbers facial towelettes (I love facial towelettes, I never travel without them and with me almost out…I figured I would try these…I caved…what can I say?), and Supergoop’s sunscreen wipes (yes, they are pricey at 8 for $10, but I’ve never seen anything like it, so I am giving it a go). Not Exactly the huge overhaul I was expecting, but I felt compelled to buy something’s and like I said, to be fair, this site is innovative and definitely on the right track, I just hope it keeps expanding.

THE SEARCH FOR THE 16X14X12

Dana — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:10:03 +0000

As I talked about previously, my one new irritation with Spirit Airlines is the carry-on policy. I know that I talked about using a backpack, but when I checked out the backpack when I got home, I was concerned about the shape and my clothes staying somewhat nice while I am transporting from one airline to another. I know I could also bring my mini-steamer that I raved about, but again it’s just excess space that I really don’t have. To save you time looking up the size of the bag that must got underneath the seat in front of you, its 16X14X12 which is the strangest size ever. But of course it gave me a reason to shop for my travels, so I decided to find a cute carry-on bag.

The adventure began at Target (because that’s where ALL my adventures begin) and unless I wanted to channel my youth and purchase a Strawberry Shortcake duffel, I knew I might be in some trouble…All the cute adult ones were too big, I didn’t want a sports gym bag, because what is the fun in that and everything else was for a four year old, so let’s just say I began to get disgruntled early on. I went to Dillard’s, but considering the deal I got on the flights I just couldn’t get myself to spend the same amount on two different flights on a carry-on bag, yes I do travel to the Pea’s a lot and it would be of use for future, but it was the fact of the matter.

Which brings me to the big reveal…I can’t help it, but I am a closet Vera Bradley lover (particularly of the Mod Floral Pink persuasion). I don’t know what it is about the quilted bags, but they fit EVERYTHING…and for some reason the quiltedness of the bag distributes the weight of the items in a way that it seems to be holding nothing at all! I really really love these bags and in the Mod Floral Pink color, I really have gone into overkill…I have the Hipster, cosmetic bags, ID wallet, amongs a billion other things that I cannot recall right now, and the large backpack that I use for school, weekend getaways, and what I had planned to use for the North Carolina excursion with the Pea. Not to mention the many items that I have in the Java Blue color (such as bowler bag and clutch). Also in Symphony Hue I have the Mini Laptop Case, which the gentlemen suitor got for me and I positively love it. It is quite possibly my favorite of the items not to mention one of my most favorite things that he got me…I told you I am not the jewelry girl, but more of the techie girl..and mooooore digression….It holds the mini laptop that Pea and I got for blogging when on our travels (not having to tote a big laptop has been fantastic and my back thanks me everyday), plus it has this small cushioned/zippered front which perfectly holds and protects my kindle wonderfully, so its two birds one stone and when I do check baggage, this is the only bag I need for a carry-on besides my purse….it makes traveling a cinch!

For some odd totally ridiculous don’t understand it at all reason, these bags really haven’t caught on here in South Florida…However, if you travel to the Northeast, I would say at least 2 in every 5 girls of all ages has something on them that is Vera Bradley related…and this is why I will always be a Boston/Maine girl at heart…well amongst about a billion other things, like the Red Sox (hollah)…I swear I am getting back on track right now…

So I decided to see what they had available for carry on type pieces on the site. Lucky for me, I stumbled across their Summer Sale (many of the items are on sale for 25%off), which also brought a tear to me in eye in that I saw they were retiring my beloved Mod Floral Pink, this however was bittersweet in that the fabric was also on sale, so that I could snatch up some items as well…and then my prayers were answered…one of the items although not listed through the color section was a small duffel bag….Hark! Are those angels singing? Again? You actually have to search the word small duffel bag in the vera bradley search engine. They have a large variety with the newer colors and the normal prices of the bags and the second section of colors are the ones on sale…If you are just looking for bag and do not care about the colors or patterns, you can click around since some of the older patterns are less than others…I was lucky to spot the Mod Floral Pink small duffel bag for a fetching price of $45…although I was looking to spend less, it was considerably less than the ones I liked at Dillards, I would definitely be using it again and helllooooo….I totally have the matching set now and if that is not a me thing, I do not know what is! Oh not to mention it’s not a black nylon gym bag with no feminine appeal whatsoever…into the virtual shopping car it went…sold!

The size of the bag is 18¾” x 8¼” x 8½” –15″ strap drop, which I believe is in the means (again, terrible at math), but I figure it’s a quilted bag and like hell it is not going to fit…trust me it will and by any means necessary…even if I have to put my sweater over it and cover the parts that are sticking out…yes that’s my trick and don’t let it get out!

I will post pictures of the bag and what it looks like packed, so you can get an idea of what it looks like once packed…and then I will also post pictures of what it looks like once under the actual seat…until then, cross your fingers for me!

My Obsession with Hair Straighteners has Crossed Over to This Site!

Dana — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:37:55 +0000

How I love my hair straighter, let me count the ways….um, wait….

Okay I know it sounds cheesy, but I found the perfect hair straightener (or at least I thought I did until yesterday), its only $20, and you can only buy it (as far as I know) from Target.com. The Conair 1″ flat iron straightens lovely, curls to perfection, and I just adore it. Plus, it’s the breast cancer awareness flat iron, so proceeds go to a great cause and its pink, so all my favorite things are combined into a perfect flat iron (why I am so into pink electronics when my favorite color is green is beyond me!).

I know you are waiting for the downside, so without further ado…coming from Florida, there is A LOT of humidity. I have super thick wavy hair and although this flat iron does an amazing job, if I go out in the sun for long periods of time, the straightness does not hold up that well. In fact one side will remain straight and the other side will form curls…I seriously think it’s a plot and my straightener is out to torment me slowly…Not to mention the location of the buttons that turn the device off and on are in the exact place that my fingers grip the flat iron, so I am constantly turning it off while I am flat ironing. This has been happening more and more recently, however, it truly does a fabulous job of curling my hair nicer than any other flat iron I have had before and I have had them ALL (Sedu, Solia, Chi, etc).

I know a lot of people struggle with curling their hair with a flat iron, which makes this particular flat iron perfect, Yes, it does takes a lot of patience, but I promise you that with this flat iron and a couple of youtube videos (I admit being::cough cough:: a little over thirty I was mildly embarrassed watching them and trying to recreate the madness at the same time). I should have taped and youtubed that lovely moment, but all you need is the right video and you too will be a guru ( I did find I had to go through several different methods before I found the one that suited me, so do not get frustrated). See how easily I digress, it’s like I was a goldfish in a past life…I swear I am getting onto the point of purchasing a new straightener…

Although, I admit that I am a hair styling junkie and love to try out all tools and products….I somehow convinced myself that I was in dire straits for another flat iron…le sigh!

So, this is how the convincing occurs and how my brain works: I love my Conair flat iron so much that I am actually “nervous” about traveling with it and felt the need to purchase one that I was not worried about breaking and that would hold up a little better in the different climates (you know because I go from sun to arctic so often…how the gentlemen suitor puts up with me I will never know)…see how my brain works when it comes to hair tools, I can convince myself of anything. Considering my $20 flat iron was a gem more than the $100 flat irons I have purchased, I decided to compromise with my own rationale (it was quite a discussion) and find something in between. I have been looking at the Remington Frizz Therapy flat iron, which really as far as flat irons go is not that expensive at $49.99 and plus the reviews have been really good, which is how I selected my Conair…even though I think a lot of the Target reviewers are much younger than I am (I mainly come to this conculsion due to the slang used and the constant misspelling of words…a regular Sherlock Holmes I am), when it has come to electronics, hair tools and shoes, they have been pretty spot on…

I tend to find the flat iron reviews on folica.com not only bias and not in conjunction with my own standards, but I have had problems upon problems with the flat irons I have purchased through them (my Sedu was dropped once in the bathroom, landed on my carpet and the plates were disengaged) and their customer service is less than helpful, even though you have a warranty they want to see your item first, it takes weeks and then they make an assessment to send you a new one…I will never purchase anything through them again…they might as well have asked for a blood sample and a first born child as far as I was concerned…that’s how accommodating they were

So anyway onto the Remington Frizz Therapy flat iron…truly…I love it…even better then my Conair…weird huh? It heats up past 410 degrees, you can adjust the temperature and there is even a locking mechanism, so your fingers do not accidentally change the temp or turn it off while you are using it…take THAT Conair…I know there are some complaints about it not turning off and having to unplug it, but I didn’t have that issue at all….simply hold down the power button and it will go off….I like the couple of seconds delay just in case the lock is not down and you hit the button accidentally. Don’t you just hate when you are flat ironing your hair, the hair is not getting any straighter, the hair no longer feels warm and then you realize the hair straightener turned off? Its seriously off-putting…plus it does what it says…I always seem to get those crazy short frizzy pieces that no amount of Argan oil or straightening balm seem to settle down and this flat iron gem totally made my hair frizz less, shiny and not at all dry…truly if we have similar hair and you are in the market for a flat iron, but are not crazy about putting down a mortgage payment to purchase a good one or do not flat iron enough to care, I highly suggest getting one and trying it out for yourself. I would go to Target.com first though since they tend to be popular and you can see the reviews for yourself as well as if a store near you carries them. Plus, Target has a 90 day return policy so it gives you a chance to try it out and return it if you hate it…I am not sure if I am supposed to be telling you to do that, but I will just deny it if any mishap comes from it!

My Two Essential Travel MUST Haves!

Dana — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:14:56 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to be at my clumsiest when I am wearing white….take for instance this morning, wearing a crisp white button down, all of a sudden a hole appears in my lip, and I get tea everywhere…thank god for those tide pens…yes, it doesn’t get EVERYTHING out in a jiff as Kelly Ripa demonstrates on television, but for the most part, I have found it gets most out and if it doesn’t, it at least dulls it down enough where I can wear the shirt for the rest of the day not be embarrassed and not scared that another great white shirt is forever ruined. The stain gets out completely once thrown in the wash and I attack it with bleach. I NEVER travel without at least two of these and one is always in my purse (thankfully for emergencies like this morning). I just think it’s something handy and portable that I always find myself needing at least once a week…yes I am that clumsy!

I happen to find mine in Target in the travel sizes section. I like the mini ones rather than the ones the size of a pen, since the mini are about the size of a lip balm and can easily go from purse to clutch (I like red wine) and in my opinion are easier to tote around.

The other essential travel item that I have recently become obsessed with is the Joy Mangano “Go Mini” – My Little Steamer 850 Watts. I absolutely love and adore this thing. First, I hate ironing, hate hate hate it! Secondly, since moving into the gentlemen suitor’s home I have discovered that I have NO closet space whatsoever, which means everything is crammed in and without fail when peeling out a shirt, even though hung, it’s guaranteed to be wrinkled. I invested in this little steamer about a year ago, never used and for the 1st time yesterday, I broke it out to test it out. One, I love the fact that it comes in an assortment of super cute girlie colors (mine’s lilac, the teal was out) and I also love how compact it is (which makes it perfect for stuffing in the suitcase/overnight duffel). It worked like a dream, it got out all the wrinkles, and I never had to break out the ironing board once. Although I am not a huge fan of the HSN (home shopping network), I believe this is one of the only places that you can purchase it for such a great deal and let me tell you it is worth it, especially if you hate breaking out the ironing board when on vacation. Its also great when you are in a rush for a dinner date or an improptu gathering with girlfriends.

As far as using it, I suggest hanging up the garment on the shower rail so that you know its secure, won’t move around a lot, and there is a less of a chance of more wrinkles forming and burning the crap out of yourself (not that this happened to me of course), but I figure I will save you for my own misfortunes and what I found now to be the easiest way to maneuver the article of clothing and the steamer at the same time. Anyway, it’s a great investment, it comes with a travel bag and a matching de-linter brush, so it’s definitely worth it. These little beauties are super popular though and go fast, so you definitely want to jump on the ball and snatch one up!

Packing For Maui

Dana — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:42:32 +0000

For the first time EVER, I OVER PACKED! That’s right, you read right…I over packed! I bought all these cutesy Hawaii type outfits to end up wearing nothing, but my Reebox Fit Sneakers (which I love and adore), tank tops, and shorts. With the exception of the luau, I lived in tank tops, shorts, and bathing suits. Honest to goodness there is no need for anything else…there is no real night life in Maui and I am not even saying that figuratively. Everything pretty much shuts down at 10pm. Since I also shopped there I ended up having to buy a carry on, which truly bummed me out since I was so proud of myself for only having a backpack and nothing else. Had I known how to pack ahead of time, I would never have had this problem, been able to pack everything and the gifts in my suitcase and wouldn’t have spent a good portion of the last day hunting down a suitable carry-on with wheels and a handle. So just remember, Maui is incredibly laid back, pack with that in mind and remember there are plenty if reasonably priced gift shops, so you can buy something if you become desperate. There is a Kmart and a Walmart, but it gets a little hectic and discombobulated and can take away from the experience, I found the Walgreens and the ABC Stores located on the island much more agreeable and enjoyable.

Some Extra Stuff to Do in Maui if You Have the Time

Dana — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:41:12 +0000

Maui Ocean Center: Yes it’s a little kitschy, but I have to say if you are not a boat person, this is a great way to see the Maui aquatic life and there are some interesting restaurants in the area such as Buzz’s Wharf Restaurant. I purchased a book from Amazon called Maui’s Top 100 Restaurants and I have to admit that this was an absolute great guide to the eating that could be found in Maui.
Maui Swap Meet: Takes place only on the weekends from 7am-1pm (or something of the like) they have extremely fresh fruits which I found wonderful to snack on while we perused. The jewelry here was more decently priced than anywhere else on the island, so if you are looking for something nice for yourself or your girlfriends, I highly suggest getting your jewelry needs here. As far as the Hawaiian print dresses, I would shop around Lahaina first, because they are actually considerably less in town. I would say a there is a price difference of about ten dollars less between the swap meet and other stores in town. The Swap Meet is definitely worth the experience, plus you are able to haggle on prices, which makes your purchases that more fun to obtain.
Hotel Luau: Granted this is not the name of the luau, but if you do have a luau at your hotel, even though other guidebooks may direct you in another way, I highly suggest asking what you get for your money and if it includes a buffet and an open bar, jump on the offer! Yes, the expense can shock, but to me and the $50 dinners that were quickly adding up, $100 for all you can eat and drink (including alcohol), and a show truly is not that bad at all. However, do pay attention to how much you drink. First of all from experience, I can tell you that the liqueur sneaks up on you and secondly, if you are with friends who want to enjoy themselves and who do not have to want to worry about their alcohol intake then you can enjoy the show and stumble back to your room if you so wish. The luau at the Marriot Resort and Spa was absolutely fabulous, the show was sensational, the food was beyond my expectations, you know how I probably felt about the open bar J, I even participated in the hula dancing (courtesy of the open bar), and the staff was beyond friendly and eager to have everyone enjoy themselves…so if your hotel does not have a luau, and this hotel is in your vicinity, you should definitely check it out!

HANA and yes, the road there is THAT scary…but worthwhile!

Dana — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:39:36 +0000

*Here are a couple things to keep in mind when traveling to Hana…

I suggest stopping at a gas station before getting on the Hana Highway and buying the Hana CD, this not only talks about what you are seeing while driving to Hana, but gives a historical background as well. I really think this added to the experience and I highly suggest you partake in it.
There are about 600 winding turns and its all along the edge of a cliff, so do not drive ANY faster then the speed limit, take your time and if you are a nervous driver, I suggest dropping the $130 and letting the tour bus take you, especially if the driver/you is prone to get distracted easily.
Take your time and stop everywhere that you can…keep in mind that this is an ALL day venture..there is an arboretum that you pay $10 (per person) …there are beautiful fountains, waterfall views, and the rock that was the opening for Jurassic Park is located here. It also gives the driver time to stretch their legs and just take a deep breath to relax and take some pictures of the group.
The National Parks are the only places with running water, which means yes…flushing toilets…every other stop has port-o-lets, so if this bothers you, keep that in mind when taking in liquids or thinking that you can “hold it” until you get to the next one…trust me, the next one is few and far between.
The stops even though may be sketchy to some, have EXCELLENT food, the beer battered fish and chips were the best, the homemade banana bread was to die for, and the smoothies are made with actual chunks of fruit…I was in snacking heaven..
My last tip which is the most important is that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are you to listen to the last National Park (where the Sacred Pools are) attendee who will tell you it is okay to drive on and back into town, especially when they are unaware of your gas situation. First off, it is 15 miles of UNPAVED road…not an ounce of pavement, it is nothing but red rock and gravel and yes more hair pin turns and cliffs. Secondly, there is not an inkling of another individual, house, living creature for I kid you not, 20 miles (thank god we had gas)…think Deliverance of the desert. It was like a bad B horror movie waiting to happen and I would not wish this trek on my worst enemy, so do what every other sane individual does and turn around at the National Park and go the same way you came…another benefit of this is getting to see some of the stuff you might have accidentally driven by the first time around….I wish someone had given this advice to us!

Maui is Definitely WOWIE….yes, I can be that lame!

Dana — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:38:21 +0000

Although I am a sucker for planning events when traveling, I was so excited about the Marriot Resort and Spa that the mamala and I were staying at in Wailea that I really didn’t want to have to worry about anything than parking my butt on a pool chair and soaking in the sun, with a cocktail and an umbrella in it. One of many things that I loved about summer in Maui was although there was a storm cloud or two in the afternoon, it never rained. In fact, I bet a guy at the luau that my IPhone was more advanced than his eye sight and that according to the IPhone, which I claimed was much more advanced than his keen senses…needless to say…luau guy knew more than the IPhone…and he proceeded to bring it up every free moment he got…the IPhone guy will not be getting a fruit basket this season.

Here are some things I learned while there that I hope helps you with your own Maui Adventure:

I will say it is important to do some research about the island before you go so that you have an idea about what you and your girlfriends expectations are. There are plenty of adventurous things to do, such as; ziplining, glass bottom boats, submarines, surfing lessons, etc. There are also ways that the island can be seen in not so adventurous ways, but where the island can still be seen such as hiking, bike riding, Hana, Halakalea Volcano National Park, Maui Ocean Center, etc. Get an idea first about what everyone wants to do because it may be necessary for part of the group to split up or at least be prepared for a day of relaxing by the pool if your girlfriend wants to experience something that you do not. This way people are not disappointed if you decide to take off and do something different.

Without a doubt, RENT A CAR. Contrary to how small the island may look on a map, it is quite large and it is QUITE a distance to drive to everything…tour buses are pricey, and a taxi would be an exorbitant amount of money. We were told from the airport to Wailea it was about a $60 trip (each way) the car for the entire week was $115. Plus you have control over how you want to spend your vacation by having your own vehicle, you may want to change plans, or re-visit a place you might have really loved, or spend more time somewhere then the tour bus gives you and all of this needs to be taken into account.

Another important tip is that the most expensive thing I found on the island was food. Food is EXTREMELY expensive in Maui, more expensive then even souvenirs. Keep in mind, everything has to be shipped over, so they tack on a lot of extra charges, so you want to be prepared for the amount of money you will be spending on food. It might be a good idea to find a hotel that has a microwave and a refrigerator or at the very least just the fridge. Walmart is in town, so you can stock up supplies there and it might be good to find other less expensive options like pizza hut, where you can control your food spending. As a girls weekend, it should be considered to share a larger meal and then ordering an appetizer, so that the costs are brought down.

There are several ways that you can spend a leisurely day in between everything else, I suggest: the Shops at Wailea. There lots of touristy shops as well as the Gap and Banana Republic, and restaurants such as; Tommy Bahama which not only had fabulous food, but was beautifully scenic and perfect for the Maui Experience. Tommy Bahama also has a happy hour menu between 4-7pm; certain drinks as well as miniature versions of appetizers are priced at a special discount. This is great because you get to sample different things and again it lets you share, thus bringing down the cost. I loooved Lahaina (reminded me a lot of Key West, without the eccentricities) and definitely think a wind down day here filled with seafood, boating, and fruity cocktails is an absolute must for any girls getaway to Maui…there were a lot of historic qualities as well as the biggest Banyan tree and Museums as well were you can learn about the town.

If boating is not your thing but you still want to experience the aquatic life of Maui, Maui Ocean Center, which is a fantastic aquarium (not to big, not to small and it is also located right on the water). Another highlight of the Ocean Center, is that it is on the way to Lahaina, so you can make a day of the event. Hana (where you can see 400 foot waterfalls and stop at many exciting scenic points along with way-perfect picture taking) Now I am going to have to give you a whoooole other blog on Hana just so you can get the whole idea behind it and it’s not all crammed here…and plus you are definitely going to way to pay close attention to the tips and NOT the tips the National Park personnel might give you…

Who Knew a Weekend Trip To NC Could Be So Frustrating…OH and my rant about Allegiant Air!

Dana — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:11:28 +0000

So the Pea and I decided to visit her mother in North Carolina. The plan was to fly straight out of Orlando into North Carolina. This involved some careful planning on my part since I planned to fly into Orlando from Fort Lauderdale the day before, fly out on the same flight as the Pea into North Carolina as well as back and then fly back home in the evening from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale (I am a glutton for punishment what can I say). As I have professed many times on this site, I am a big fan of the Spirit Air $9 Fare Club, what I am no longer a fan of is the new baggage rule! Get this, in order for your luggage to be “free”, it be able to store underneath the seat in front of you. Carry-on rolling luggage that fits in the overhead now has a charge that goes along with it…I would like to know what brain surgeon came up with this wonderful idea and what five minutes of extra de-boarding time do they think they are saving? Let me tell you what this means to me….this means that I now forced to take time out of my life to think about what the absolute barest necessities are and then try to cram them into a small backpack that fits underneath my seat…and forget extra purchases! So now with my trip being two weeks away, I have already started assessing my head and talking to Aly about what the “ideal” plan is, so I can pack accordingly. Knowing the weekend was going to consist of hiking and one dinner out, I figured a backpack would be just fine and even though I hate wearing shoes on the plane that tie (mainly for security purposes), I figured I would chance it this one time and just man up and wear my hiking sneakers on the plane.

Of course this will be freeing up considerable space that I might need for a hair brush, since there isn’t much space for anything else at this annnnnnnnd…as per usual…I totally digressed off the topic of this blog…

So onto thoughts about the not so user friendly Allegiant Air website…

I read Pea’s email itinerary a couple time to make sure that I was going to be on the same North Carolina flight as her to and fro, since we did not book our trips together. Even though this airline site has some GREAT deals, under no circumstance is it user friendly. For one, you literally have to click on a highlighted link (not a check box like the normal sites) so that you do not get charged for not only selecting your seat, but in addition you get an additional charge of 9.99 for priority seat boarding (this charge can be deleted by unselecting the checked box, which they so kindly checked for you). I don’t know about you but when I am in a rush to book a particular flight, the last thing I want to do is have to read every little line to make sure there are not extra charges being added on. Hence, my love for check boxes, which everyone sees and knows how to distinguish. Secondly, as I am about to purchase my ticket, I notice my flight is considerably more expensive then what I worked out in my head…I may not be the brightest in math, but I can count…I noticed then that I was charged a $40 baggage fee, it took me three times of going back in and out to see that another highlighted sentence needed to be selected to make this fee disappear.

Moral of the story, 45 minutes later I had my flight which I was thankful about, but could not believe the hoops I had to go through and being someone who may have had to do it quickly to assure a seat, I might not have bothered with this airline at all, given up, or paid more than intended due to not paying attention to the fees that are quickly added on, but cannot be remedied in the checkout. If you are planning on using this site to book your trip, take your time and do not be afraid to use the number at the bottom to call for help, even if it takes 20 minutes to get a real live human and by that time you have everything figured out (not that that happened to me of course ). Let’s just say I had just about enough of trying to get the baggage fee off that I become desperate and called customer service…luckily while waiting, I figured out the matter and hung up.

I am now crossing my fingers that the flight is not booked and that Pea and I get a chance of sitting next to one another….keep tuned for a blog about the flight itself, if it’s anything like the website, I am sure it’s bound to be adventurous.