Thailand Travel Easy

The allure of Thailand for Aussies remains strong. Sitting just six hours flight from Perth and eight or so from the East Coast, Thailand boasts great beaches, mountain forests, temples galore, great shopping and some of the best food on earth. Add to that the seedier aspects of prostitution and the famous full moon parties and you have an entertaining mix that will leave some wanting more while others may be happy never to go back.

It's a common first time destination for backpackers because it's easy to get around, English is spoken widely and finding good times and mischief is never a problem. There is of course also some pretty nice beaches to sleep off the hangover on or just soak up the sun.

Seasons/When to go

Thailand is hot and humid most of the year. The most comfortable time to visit is during November till March. It rains the least and is not super hot. Thailand's peak tourist seasons are at this time and during July and August.

The rainy season runs from roughly July to October. Rainy season gets a bad rap; during this time the more popular beaches can be littered with trash after heavy rains. Despite this the rain can be a break from the heat, and the countryside is lush and green. October tends to be the wettest time of year.

April - June and September - October typically see the cheapest room rates and the least amount of tourist traffic. Consider these times if you want the cheapest travel away from the hordes in peak season.

Getting cheap flights from Australia to Thailand

If you are planning to book the popular choice of a few days in Bangkok and five or more in Phuket or Ko Samui, it's worth looking around for package deals on offer from the major travel agents in Australia. Like Fiji, it's one of the few destinations where booking this way through an agent can be cheaper than booking on the net. Companies will have allotted rooms and seats on preferred airlines that can be sold very cheaply.

If you are booking yourself don't always assume Jetstar (which flys into Phuket direct) will always be the cheapest. Thai airways, British airways and even Singapore airlines will have regular specials into Bangkok from Australia. From there you can book yourself on the domestic carriers to any of the islands (see below). From the East Coast fares have recently been as low as $600 return including tax into Bangkok low season (British Airways or Thai).

For students it's worth checking with STA or Student flights as there are often cheap fares on this route.

The most common route would be to fly into Bangkok, spend a few days and then head out to Phuket or Ko Samui (or both). Expect to pay around $1200 inc tax for all three in low season, while its closer to $2000 inc tax at Christmas (just for flights).

Costs

On a backpacking budget allow $30-50 dollars a day in low season. It's not as cheap as some countries in South East Asia but it's still great value. For a more comfortable holiday, $100 a day will get you a decent hotel and have you living pretty comfortably.

Domestic Airlines

Try these carriers to get you out of Bangkok and to the popular Islands and other Thailand destinations.

Thai Air Asia - Flies domestic and international routes

Nok Air - Flies Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Krabi, Trang, Loei, Udon Thani, Phuket and Nakhon Si Thammarat

One Two Go - Budget carrier with similar destination list to Nok Air. Also has offers free snacks on board.

Bangkok Airways - Flying since 1986 Bangkok air is a popular choice that flys to over 20 Asian cities. Great for Bangkok - Phuket - Ko Samui flights. You can book online and their website also offers a few discounts on accommodation.

Destination Air - A small company that offers scenic flights via sea plane and day trips around Phuket and surrounding islands like Ko Pi Pi. Minimum passenger requirements apply.

Getting into Bangkok Central from Suvarnabhumi airport/what happens when I get to the airport in Bangkok?

Soon after arriving it's easy to change some Aussie dollars to the local currency or use an ATM (for the best rates).

As soon as you leave customs you will probably be set on by locals offering you a taxi into town. Keep cool and ignore these touts as the shuttle bus into the city costs a poultry $9.00AUD and runs from 0430 till 0030. A taxi will be more expensive. Just walk outside and look for the signs for the shuttle bus, it's easy.

Most travellers will be staying on or near the famous Khaosan road, just tell the bus guy that's where your headed. If you are arriving outside of the shuttle bus operating times (and many flights from Oz will) it's still easy to get a taxi. Make sure the driver turns the meter on; it starts at about 35B. Get out of the cab if they won't turn the metre on. Be firm about this - as elsewhere it's a common scam for cabbies to make up the price on arrival. You will have to pay the motor toll if you travel into the city by taxi - so you will be asked for a small amount of extra cash on the way. The cost of a taxi should be no more than $12 or so Aussie dollars into the city. The airport is about 30km or 45mins by road from the centre of town.

If you consider booking a transfer in Australia it's around $40 dollars Aussie one way, so it's much easier and cheaper just to get on the shuttle bus when you arrive. If you arrive late then a taxi is still cheaper than booking a transfer in Australia.

If you're staying in Khaosan Road: After getting off shuttle bus or taxi on Kao Son road, walk to the end of the road where the Monastery (Wat) is, there's a police station off to the right, walk that way, cross the street and go down the red bricked road named Soi Rambuttri (the monastery will now be on your left). This area is far quieter than on the main drag.

Khao san Road accommodation options

In Bangkok Ko Shan road is usually the first port of call for most travellers, usually travellers on a budget. In recent times more comfortable hotels seem to be springing up all over the place. Outside of peak times it's easy enough to just show up in this small area and book a place - though in busier times or if you don't want to wing it booking in advance is easy enough.

The Viengtai hotel is a popular choice for young Aussies. Expect to pay around $10-30 a night.

Rambuttri Inn (15-20AUD) is a popular and comfortable place with a pool.

MyHouse Guesthouse-($10AUD) One of the better cheapies that's nice and quiet by Bangkok standards.

With any guesthouse in this area make sure you check the rooms first, but most will be fine for how cheap they are.

For more comfortable digs most of the big name hotels are represented in Bangkok. If you have the cash the city's most famous hotel, the Oriental is the place to be. If you can't afford that the Royal Orchid Sheraton just down the river has great views at a much cheaper price.

Other areas of Bangkok are just as good to stay; check out Chinatown and the Sukhumvit road area.

Khaosan Road is good for first time travellers to go out or do some shopping and the best place to arrange other travel service like visas and train tickets.

Getting around Thailand

Rail/Bus

Thailand has fantastic trains and buses which are cheap, fast and easy to use. You can buy tickets from numerous local travel agents, though it's cheaper and not difficult to buy yourself at the bus or train station. The cheapest option to get around is on the 'fan' buses for short or medium journeys - just leave early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat. The cheapest rail option is third class, which can take a bit longer than the more expensive AC buses but are a fun way to get around.

Beach Destinations

Phuket

This Island of half a million people is the most visited in Thailand. It's well serviced by flights from around Asia and has a great mix of accommodation to choose from. Staying in the heart of Phuket town on the beach will be expensive, while staying a few blocks back or 15 minutes down the road in Karon beach are the cheaper options. This is the area from which you can easily visit islands such as Ko Pi Pi (from the movie The Beach).

Ko Samui

Once a purely budget destination Ko Samui is now a fully fledged resort island. All the major hotels are here, with expensive accommodation the norm. For a budget beach holiday Phuket or Khao Lak, an hour north, are the better bets. Most Aussies will come to Ko Samui on their way over to Ko Panyang for the famous full moon parties. Click the link below for a full page on how to get there and the run down on these popular and always loose nights out. The parties are fairly commercialised these days, but still worth the trip.

Off the beaten path

There's heaps more to Thailand than just Bangkok, Phuket and Ko Samui. It's easy to get around so with a little time checking out places such as Khao Sok national park, Ko Chang and the Similan islands will get you away from the masses. Avoid the southern mainland town of Pattaya; package tourists, pimps, members of paedophiles san frontiers: not nice.

Man Was Not Made to Fly, So God Created Airlines

That perpetual boy Peter Pan told the Darling kids that if they wanted to fly, all they had to do was "think happy thoughts." So I found myself doing just that as I gazed from the jet's plastic window this past weekend. I fly just frequently enough to feel some comfort with the process, but not enough to allay the fears of the bazillion things that could result in my hurtling to my death among strangers. Did the pilot sleep well? Check the oil pressure? Are those geese up there?

I take special pains to make eye contact with the flight attendants during their pre-flight soliloquy. I want them to know I appreciate their efforts. They may just remember this nice bald-headed gentleman as he struggles to make his seat cushion a flotation device when we have to ditch somewhere over the Illinois prairie. I especially like the part about the oxygen mask: "Place the mask over your face, pull the cord and breathe normally." Are you kidding me? Breathe normally? I'll be lucky if I'm breathing at all! Then the pilot tells everyone to prepare for take-off. The crowd grows eerily quiet, some feigning indifference, others most-assuredly praying, still others white-knuckling the arm rests as we race down the tarmac and lift off gently into the blue.

Once you're up, the ears stop popping and you settle into your two-foot-by-six-foot allotment of cabin space, there is a certain Zen quality to a flight. You can read, stare at the clouds, or just close your eyes and listen to the muted conversations. There is the pop of the soda cans as the cart rolls by. The gradual increase in conversation as nerves settle. The steady, immensely reassuring roar of the engines. If you're lucky, the lady next to you doesn't have an annoying throat-clearing problem (paper napkin stuffed discretely in the ears helps), or the kid in front of you doesn't keep saying what everyone else on the plane is thinking while sitting on the runway at O'Hare for 20 minutes waiting for a gate: "I wanna get off, I wanna get off, lemme get off, NOW." Just before this lovely discourse from the little darlin', there is the tummy-tumbling occasion of what is in effect a controlled fall from 30,000 feet. It starts an incredible distance from your destination, as the engines cut back and you have an instant of "What the heck?" But when you don't hear screams from the co-pilot, you can assume this is what is supposed to happen, and wonder how this big hunk of stuff is going to slow down from 300mph in a space about four Edward Jones Dome's long. Speaking of sounds, my favorite is the clunk of the landing gear locking into place. Then you pray that they Midas-ized them brake pads on schedule, and try to explain to your inner organs that everything will slow down in just a few moments.

All in all, it beats driving.

Just keep on thinking those "happy thoughts."

("A BOOMER'S JOURNAL, BY TOM ANSELM, SUBURBAN JOURNALS OF ST. LOUIS, MO)

You Can Find Cheap Airline Tickets to Kentucky

Airline tickets to Kentucky can be availed on local flight booking offices or online flight booking services. It is always wise to check on both options.

Kentucky is also called the Bluegrass State. It is the home of some of the most visited sites on the state which includes Churchill Downs, Louisville Ballet, Muhammad Ali Center, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Belle of Louisville. Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is another well-known site. Another tourist destination you will find there is the Mammoth Cave National Park which brags being the world's longest cave system.

There are more than a few Kentucky public airports you should know of; two of them cater to international flights. Say, you want to visit some of the best tourist spots in the state, you can try landing on Louisville. Louisville International Airport caters to almost 4 million passengers every single year. Assuming you will be coming from Los Angeles International Airport, there will be many options available for you.

When booking for your airline tickets to Kentucky, you can try checking reputable sources of travel info online. There are plenty of great deals you will find for a cheap airfare, economy class tickets can range from 79 $ up to 130 $ plus taxes. Some sites also give discounts if you are to book immediately. On weekends, the price go up a little ranging from 105 $ to 235 $, still on an economy class. Mondays can have 99 $ flights, but on regular non-peak days, airline tickets are around the lowest price and have three to four flights of the same price.

Direct flight tickets are more expensive, usually the cheapest is around 230 $ going up to 850 $, plus taxes for first class. The travel time can last from 6 hours up to 9 hours depending on your itinerary.

If you are travelling with 1 kid 0 to 2 years old on your lap, the usual range is from 89 $ to 110 $, economy class with 1 stopover. If travelling on business class with 1 kid on lap, the usual range starts from 399 $ plus taxes, for first class, the lowest price is 384 $ up to 850 $, one stop over only. If the child is in a seat, the airfare starts from 79 $ up to 300+ $ excluding the taxes. There are also some regulations when travelling with children, so make sure you verify this before booking your flight. When travelling with a senior, the rates are just the same when an adult will be travelling.

If you are looking to reach Kentucky via Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, there are also available flights of cheaper prices, some flights are just around 69 $ plus taxes. Although, most of the rates are the same as when flying through Louisville. The travel time is quite the same too. There are even flights that will stopover to that airport before going to Louisville.

Best deals on airline tickets to Kentucky are always around; it is just a matter of finding them. There are around 3 to 5 airlines that support Kentucky flights to the two international airports, so finding tickets could be less hassle. Determination, coupled with a keen eye on details can produce the most economical flight fares.

The Longest Nonstop Flight Ever

Hawaiian Airline is ranked best domestic airline for the second year in a row and American eagle the worst in an annual airline performance review of the airline industry. The report was based on factors such as on time arrivals, denied boarding, mishandled baggage and customer complaints. The same review also dropped Delta from the 12th place to 15th place mainly due to flight 1201, which went from Atlanta Georgia to Orlando Florida on the 16th of January. The flight is supposed to take about 70 minutes, but it was stuck on tarmac for ten hours straight.

This is three hours longer then it would take to drive between the two cities, but still 8 half hours less than the longest nonstop International flights currently on the books. That would be Singapore airlines flight 21 for Eighteen and a Half hours. This International Flights from Newark, New Jersey to Singapore, which is a staggering 9535 miles.

Something else that causes turbulence for passengers is lost luggage, but I doubt it is nowhere near as terrible as the people that had lost the following items. The items are amongst that were permanently separated from their owners, was, a full suit of armor, a rare violin from 1770, a 5.8 carat diamond ring and a painting valued at nearly $20,000.

Compared to those facts, flight delays don't seem that bad. Even compared to US airways flight 807 that went from Charlotte, NC to Hawaii, which was late 100% of the time late last year. Luckily for passengers headed for the islands at the same time, there was an airline that flew on time nearly 9 out of 10 times, with no cancelations. That would be domestic defending champion, Hawaiian Airlines. So our hats go off for Hawaiian for their continuing performance.

This week's bad news is a volcano beneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier which began erupting and no, this isn't a name invented by someone falling asleep with their head on the keyboard. This turned Northern Europe into a no-fly zone and stranded travelers on six different continents. About 100 planes have flown into volcanic ashes between 1983 and 2000 and it shuts down the plane's engine for a moment. A KLM Boeing 747 flew through some ashes in 1989 and it lost all powers dropping from 25,000 feet to 12,000 feet before the crew was able to take it over again (phfew, close call).

Get Over Fear of Flying

Get over fear of flying by amongst other things remembering the facts about the safety of air travel.  Write out some researched air safety facts, keep it handy whilst boarding as referring to it will help you get over fear of flying.  Here is a list of some simple but effective statements you ought to refer to during embark and flight. Again, these will help you get over fear of flying.   

There are thousands of flights daily it's routine, nothing special, as millions of people fly daily.
Planes are designed specifically for air travel, that's where they belong, in the air.
A bit of turbulence is routine, it's kinda like a bump or pothole in the road. The plane is designed to treat turbulence as a piece of cake.
The pilot is highly trained as is the crew, heck, they do this flying stuff everyday, it's simple routine.
The air the plane is flying through is actually quite dense, it's not the thin air you suppose it to be. The plane is being supported by huge solid columns of dense air.
The plane can fly safely and land safely too even with some of the functions not working properly.

The above (in addition to your own personal statements) will help you to get over fear of flying, so next time you fly, you can leave your fear at home, but don't forget to take your written list on board with you will you, we don't want any in-flight panic attacks (smiley).

E-Leather Airline Seats

The latest product in airline seats is 'composition leather' which weighs up to 40% less than traditional leather. The seats are finished to add colour, grain and texture, and it is possible to engineer specific performance requirements such as scuff protection or fire resistance. Engineered Leather or E-Leather for use in airline seats has a prime component of leather fibre produced from tannery by-products. This is processed or 're-woven' and finished so it is practically indistinguishable from good quality natural leather. Supplied in rolls which results in only a 5% wastage compared to up to 40% wastage for natural hides, E-Leather for aviation and contract upholstery applications is fire resistant and is around half the weight of natural leather.

It is based on 75-80% of leather fibre and uses a range of highly engineered synthetic fibres to further increase product performance. The product's weight, however, is the key factor... 500grams per square metre, compared to typical leather upholstery at 850gsm. For an aircraft with 165 seats, the reduced weight could amount to a typical cost reduction of up to £14,000 (US$27,000) per year in fuel costs alone.

E-Leather airline seats are up to 50% lighter than traditional leather, save up to 25% related fuel costs each year, show consistent physical and burn performance and have long lasting quality.

Airline seats reviewed

We should be mindful of the kind of reviews that appear everywhere on the internet by airline passengers when reviewing airline seats. Seat comfort was much better than the old style seats. Service if reasonable, is secondary. IFE working, headphones good. The angle of the seats and the ability to see out of the window is important if spending 9 hours in the air. Business class seats offering privacy are sought-after, but, from a comfort point of view, are quite hard. Back massagers are gimmicky. Calling airline seats "Executive First" class can be wishful thinking on the part of the airline and can be ruined on long-haul flights if the pillow is too meagre. Lack of storage space for personal effects is also a problem. The reading lights are good but a herringbone layout can mean they sometimes shine in a neighbouring passenger's face. This is particularly annoying on the overnight flight. I know times are hard in the airline business but I do feel that those little extra touches that we pay so handsomely for in business class should be more in evidence. Pod seats are a bit narrow, and if they were designed to fill the available space (instead of the trendy curved design) they would have enough room for someone 6"2". As it is, over 6' and there is a bit of a compromise to be made.

Comfortable in the seated and semi-reclined position, some business class airline seats are dreadful when it comes to trying to sleep in the fully-reclined position. Anyone over 6-foot is likely to be challenged, as they cannot stretch out on their back due to the foot plate in front or they cannot sleep on their side, lest they slide out. Others complain of a huge bump as the seat reclines to sleeping position. The bed is uncomfortable because of a gap in the middle between the top and bottom sections.

Discount Airline Tickets For Vacations

There are some travelers who believe that the persons who are searching all over the place to find discount Jamaica airline tickets will have no luck in reaping such benefits. Well, obviously they haven't been looking in the right locations, as there are many people who are traveling with these deals and doing so more than once for a year.

Then again, one cannot really blame them because the prices for specific destinations or tickets to anywhere in the world is definitely not fixed and they might just be unlucky to be looking on those high rates days.

Therefore, the obvious question right now is how some travelers are finding those heavy discounted tickets?

The answer is not one that would require technical experience or special skills, just the simple work that is put in to find the travel sites that are selling airline tickets to all destinations.

There is no hard and fast rules about searching on the internet, you just have to ensure Using the travel sites worthy of trust. Before you begin your search, but must clear understanding of what exactly you're looking for and how much you are willing to pay for the trip.

Some of the things you should consider before the World Wide Web's travel budget allocated to purchase the number of tickets, departure and return dates and times and exact destination. While one might wonder whethernecessary to decide these things before you start, believe it or not, to reach the few points the difference is not easy to travel with a ticket discount o.

There is also the main factor taken into account even if you want the discount for guests, and must be booked in advance. The more time you at the time of booking, let you pay less for your ticket. So if you know you're on a trip to beautiful Jamaicadestinations give yourself at least thirty days prior to the time for departure. During this time, you stand a better chance of obtaining much more than just discounts on tickets, but on other aspects of your trip as well.

The other factors that will determine if you get the discounts that you are searching for will not work efficiently if you don't take care of the booking advance factor. Some of the other components that can easily influence the price that you pay for tickets are: the season that you are planning to travel; the arrival and departure airports; whether you are looking for a connecting or direct flights and if you are using reward points gained from previous traveling.

But, whatever the case may be, I am sure you will not be wondering how the travelers find the discount Jamaica airline tickets after you utilized some of these suggestions. All that is needed for you to do now is spend the time on the research, explore all the options and in no time you will discover some attractive deals.