Confessions of a YYC Travel Junkie

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by ryeguy252

First time going to Maui next month. Any suggestions for activities/restaurants, hidden gem cheap eats etc?

The one common recommendation is to book a car to get around vs Oahu where you can get away without one.

Yes, you need a car - I always use Turo and it's cheaper and better than rental car agencies.

Sea Turtles beaching exactly at sunset here:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@20.75194...2688?entry=ttu

Haleakalā National Park drive - amazing

Snorkeling in Kapalua Bay - can buy cheap snorkel gear in like grocery stores

Lahaina is a fun town. Paia too has nice shops.

Makena Beach (Big Beach) and then the Lava fields just down the road.

Food:
Paia Fish Market
808 Deli
My Thai Maui (odd location, but great).

[Ryan Coke]

FWIW, when I was there earlier this year Turo prices didn’t seem great compared to the rental car rates at the airport, so I went with that. Another good cheap rental car option is Kihei rent a car, they have some older but reliable Nissan Sentras, as well as other vehicles. And they have an airport shuttle. I’ve used them in the past and liked them for cheap wheels.

[CroFlames]

Is an hour and ten minutes enough time for a layover in Schiphol? Going from YYC to Netherlands, then onto another EU country.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Is an hour and ten minutes enough time for a layover in Schiphol? Going from YYC to Netherlands, then onto another EU country.

I had the same option and chose to book the next flight. Ends up being a 6 hour layover but 1:15 seems pretty tight given you are clearing customs etc. too.

[Fuzz]

Schiphol has been pretty efficient every time I went through. But given travel these days....maybe?

[MoneyGuy]

To those who have been in Amsterdam recently, has it become dirty? We were there 8 years ago and loved it but a friend who just returned said it’s dirty.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Schiphol has been pretty efficient every time I went through. But given travel these days....maybe?

I only have to clear customs once since my next destination is in Schengen. Hopefully it works out.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Is an hour and ten minutes enough time for a layover in Schiphol? Going from YYC to Netherlands, then onto another EU country.

70 min should be fine. I believe the MCT at AMS for that type of itinerary is 60 min, although it's airline specific. KL's entire business is connecting people efficiently through AMS to and from all over the world.

[fotze2]

Calgary is a Schiphol these days. No need to leave.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Is an hour and ten minutes enough time for a layover in Schiphol? Going from YYC to Netherlands, then onto another EU country.

Is the transfer KLM to KLM? If so, you should be fine. If it is KLM to some budget euro carrier, I'd be less confident.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Flacker

Is the transfer KLM to KLM? If so, you should be fine. If it is KLM to some budget euro carrier, I'd be less confident.

Yep KLM the whole route.

[chemgear]

####ing hell.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/airline-p...ood/index.html

Habib Battah was flying from Paris to Toronto on Air France on June 30 when he noticed a strange smell coming from the footwell under his and his wife’s seats shortly after takeoff.

“It smelled like manure,” he told CNN.

“I said it smells like merde – s**t. She handed me wet wipes. I started wiping and it was red – blood red. And it kept coming up red. I was like, ‘What the hell is this?’ I just wanted to see what it was. After a while, one of the flight attendants said, ‘You’d better go wash your hands, and here are some gloves.’”

The news came back from Air France HQ: it was human blood. The day before, on a Paris -Boston flight, a male passenger had suffered what Battah says the crew called a “hemorrhage.”

Air France confirmed to CNN that the liquid appears to be blood and feces.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Yep KLM the whole route.

I'm pretty sure KL-KL is absolutely 60 min. They wouldn't ticket an itinerary unless you'd meet their MCT.

[Ryan Coke]

How critical is it you make that connection flight? Are there later connection flights if you miss that one?

There are hundreds of things that could cause a delay to the first flight, it is a tight connection anywhere. But if there are later flights you can be re-accommodated to, and it wouldn’t blow apart your plans if you miss the first one, then you can take the chance. But I would be concerned if it was important I made the connection.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

How critical is it you make that connection flight? Are there later connection flights if you miss that one?

There are hundreds of things that could cause a delay to the first flight, it is a tight connection anywhere. But if there are later flights you can be re-accommodated to, and it wouldn’t blow apart your plans if you miss the first one, then you can take the chance. But I would be concerned if it was important I made the connection.

It would inconvenience me to miss the connection, but it's not critical I suppose. There is a partner airline with a later flight.

Just hoping for a tail wind over the Atlantic

[tvp2003]

Happy to report that unlike the ****show last year trying to get passports for our kids, we had zero issues with two adult renewals. Went to Sundance on June 23, was busy in the morning but still got processed in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and we now have both passports in hand (sent separately via mail). They actually arrived ahead of schedule so I'm glad I didn't pay the extra $20 each to pick them up at Harry Hays.

I know they are moving to an online renewal process this fall but I'm glad that I'm now good until 2033!

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Happy to report that unlike the ****show last year trying to get passports for our kids, we had zero issues with two adult renewals. Went to Sundance on June 23, was busy in the morning but still got processed in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and we now have both passports in hand (sent separately via mail). They actually arrived ahead of schedule so I'm glad I didn't pay the extra $20 each to pick them up at Harry Hays.

I know they are moving to an online renewal process this fall but I'm glad that I'm now good until 2033!

It really has seemed to have turned around. My wife recently renewed as well. Found a Monday morning appointment on Friday (ie next day appointment) and was in and out in less than 15 minutes. Passport arrived in the mail two weeks later.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Happy to report that unlike the ****show last year trying to get passports for our kids, we had zero issues with two adult renewals. Went to Sundance on June 23, was busy in the morning but still got processed in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and we now have both passports in hand (sent separately via mail). They actually arrived ahead of schedule so I'm glad I didn't pay the extra $20 each to pick them up at Harry Hays.

I know they are moving to an online renewal process this fall but I'm glad that I'm now good until 2033!

I got the next day service at Harry Hays during the shutdown, it was great. I had to book a dummy flight and cancel it though.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Is an hour and ten minutes enough time for a layover in Schiphol? Going from YYC to Netherlands, then onto another EU country.

Different airport, and different airlines, but I had a 35 minute layover in Frankfurt once, Lufthansa -> Swiss Air (Star Alliance).

The 2nd flight was way across the airport, and after taking a pee and walking straight to my gate they basically closed the door of the aircraft behind me. Somehow I actually had my bag when I landed in Zurich.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I had the same option and chose to book the next flight. Ends up being a 6 hour layover but 1:15 seems pretty tight given you are clearing customs etc. too.

With their good airport train, 6 hours is plenty of time to do a quick trip into the city centre for a walk around or a museum. Last time I flew through Amsterdam I visited the Van Gogh museum during the layover and it was fantastic.