I rented a car from Sixt to drive from Bled, Slovenia to Dubrovnik, Croatia and they listed the transfer fee as 778€. That is fully insane, right? I’m not sure what to do about it. Everything else I see if from 29-45€
Hi fellow travellers,
Making this post as I just had an unnecessary anxiety spiral after reading the estimated 72hr window for esta approvals.
Today is May 20, 2026 - I realised I had not submitted an ESTA for my flight leaving from UK to USA which leaves tomorrow at 10am.
I submitted my application at 1:20pm and by 2:26pm I had received approval by email.
For reference, I am an ex US citizen now living in the UK.
Hope this helps appease anyone’s worry!!
Personally, I am very noise sensitive. Slight noise from the fan in the bathroom or sounds from refrigerator makes me not able to sleep. So what is the trick to get a room that is noise free and have peaceful rest?
will it be counted as extra luggage or can i just bring a pillow case stuffed with clothes as well as my carry on and suit case. has anyone successfully done this or do you not recommend it (Before you say buy extra luggage I am moving to where im travelling to and I want to take the most I can )
my ticket says :
Hold bags
Combined weight 23kg
Small cabin bag:
1 x Small under seat cabin bag (max. 45 x 36 x 20 cm)
London to corfu
Is it possible to ask border guards not to stamp my passport.
Looking for ideas for a vacation in the United States what are some must visit places. Looking towards Estes parks but wanted ideas from you guys!
I've used 3rd-party hotel booking sites (PL) quite a few times to book hotel stays. Overall, I'm fairly certain that I have found lower prices...to a point
When comparing 3rd-party sites, I've noticed that all hotel rates are about the same (within a few $). When searching a hotel's website, prices are definitely higher than on booking sites.
However... the site I use the most (PL) keeps me logged in to their site, and when I consider extending my hotel stay or booking another, I see higher rates than when I log out and search for the same hotel and dates.
Instead of rewarding a valued customer (me) with special discounts, a free night, or a thank-you bonus, they seem to be rewarding new customers who have never booked with them. The rates are substantially lower when I am not logged in.
Is it true that 3rd-party booking sites are more concerned with gaining new customers (by offering lower rates, presumably to lure them in), but once one has booked several times, hotel rates start rising...?!
Has anyone else noticed the same thing?
What’s the best way to pack frozen/fresh seafood when traveling? We go to coastal areas regularly and love to bring back fresh seafood.
We’ve used cardboard boxes before from The Home Depot and places cooler bags inside but didn’t know if there was a better way.
Never tried dry ice but didn’t know if that would complicate the screening process.
Some background... I used to travel domestically for work 1-2 times per month and internationally 1-2 times per year from 2006 to 2019. That went away in 2020, a job change had me down to 3-4 times per year from 2022-2025, and a promotion (plus backfilling while I build out my team) in early 2025 now has me back to regional (car) travel 1-2 times per month, domestic air travel 6-10 times per year, and international (only Europe) once a year.
After my most recent trip, I decided my general travel kit could use some upgrades. This was mostly spurred on by my Travel Pro Platinum 7 20" 2-wheel banging every armrest in DL economy as I tried to thread the needle of the aisle (that I swear is narrower now, even though the seats are narrower too).
Over COVID, I got really into thrifting. I don't need to because of income, but I enjoy the hunt. So, with that mindset, I decided to see just how far I could stretch $200 to upgrade as much of my travel kit as possible. None of this gear NEEDS to be replaced; all is functional, and most show little to no wear. Some items are showing their age in terms of features/technology, no longer fit my style, or I could just afford a major upgrade thanks to thrifting. So after 4 nights of idle evening hotel time, this is what I scrounged up... I came in about $50 under budget, but I'm still looking for a few things with less urgency (toiletry bag) and may need a few replacement parts (headphone ear cups, maybe battery).
| Carry-on / Roll-aboard: $80 (eBay) |
|---|
| Level 8 Luminous (replacing Travel Pro Platinum 7 2-wheel) |
| The armrest knocking that spurred this whole exercise had me looking for a 4-wheel spinner bag. The only time I had tried one in the past was a cheap American Tourister circa-2010, and that sufficiently turned me off to them (mostly tipping when going from smooth to carpeted surfaces) to keep me away for 15 years. My priorities were light but not flimsy, good wheels, and a solid handle. After rabbit-holing for a few days, I settled on the Level 8 Luminous, mostly for the handle. I wanted Hinomoto wheels and liked the price/features of the Quince, but its handle looked to have more flex than I'd want to put up with. I found a very lightly used grey model on eBay and ended up winning it for $80 shipped. If I'd been more patient, I probably could have done better on a higher-end name-brand bag at ShopGoodwill or a local Goodwill (though it seems the good stuff is all going to the website these days) if I'd been more patient. I may keep looking for something nicer, a hybrid or soft-side with a laptop compartment, and give this one to my girlfriend for our Europe trip next spring. |
| Briefcase: $30 (ShopGoodwill) |
| Tumi Alpha 2 Medium Briefcase (replacing Travel Pro Crew 9 Briefcase) |
| This one probably needed to be replaced the most... a good bit of freying and in need of a good once-over with a lighter after every trip, but my main gripe was the fold-out design. It was a gift ~2012... I wouldn't have picked it for myself. I'd always wanted a Tumi or B&R and could never justify the price, new or even used at eBay prices... but I found a VERY good-condition Tumi Alpha 2 Medium Briefcase. I knew I didn't want an expandable model to keep thickness down, and I wanted a pre-Samsonite-acquisition design (not sure about the manufacture date; could be either). The bag shows very minor signs of carrying, but the shoulder strap is still inside, wrapped in paper. The branded luggage tag is missing, but that's around $15 if I decide it's even worth replacing. |
| Noise-Canceling Headphones: $33 (ShopGoodwill) |
| Sony WH-1000XM4 (replacing Anker Soundcore Q30) |
| My Soundcore Q30s probably didn't need to be replaced immediately. Their Active NC performance is great; they're comfortable with minimal pressurization and in fine condition. Their only shortcoming is that battery life has dipped to only 4-5 hours on a full charge... plenty for domestic trips IF I remember to charge them at my destination, marginal for flights to Europe. I considered a used pair of Q45s I saw on eBay for $31, but I instead picked up a pair of black Sony WH-1000XM4s for $22 from ShopGoodwill. I went this route because they should be better overall quality to begin with, and (more so) replacement parts are readily available along with plenty of repair instructions/walkthroughs... It's a good thing too, because these came with aftermarket ear memory gel ear cups that feel amazing and stay cool, but are in a hideous blue/grey/black geometric pattern that I'm not sure I can stomach in the long term. |
| Bag Tracking: $0 (Amazon Vine) |
| Knock-off AirTags (replacing Panic when I leave my bag at TSA) |
| I picked up a 4-pack of knock-off AirTags (work with Apple FindMy, but no distance/direction when you get close) several months ago... I tested one of them, and it lives in my firing range bag, but the other three sat in my desk drawer until now. Two are card-style and can be wirelessly charged, and two are more akin to a Tile in form factor with replaceable coin cells... so not as compact/discrete as actual AirTags, but it's hard to beat free. |
| Charger/Cable Pouch: $10 (Facebook Marketplace) |
| Tumi by Delta Amenity Kit Pouch (replacing Eagle Creek Pack-It Pouch S) |
| This one was completely superfluous... mostly because I know I have one of these in a drawer or bag somewhere from a flight to India several years back, but also because I have a perfectly functional Eagle Creek Pack-It Pouch Small... but sometimes you just want things to match. I found someone (likely current/former Delta employee) selling these on FBM for $5 pouch-only and $10 for full kits. He let me have 3x pouch-only for $10, so now I have spares that can also get lost in a drawer/bag at home. |
| Toiletry Bag: $0 (Eagle Creek Lifetime Warranty) |
| Eagle Creek Pack-It QuickTrip S (replacing Eagle Creek Pack-it Cosmo) |
| I'm going to keep an eye out to replace this with a Tumi of some sort, but I remembered Eagle Creek's lifetime warranty and my Pack-It Cosmo had worn through about 30% of the waterproof liner inside the mesh and had a small (1/4" or so) tear in the bottom... so I filed a warranty repair request, submitted pictures, and they just replaced it with a current model Pack-It Quick Trip S. It's a bit smaller and less compliant, but it will do the job while I look for a deal on something else... or for another decade if the last one is to go by. |
| Travel Shoes: $8 (ShopGoodwill) |
| Johnston & Murphy Cort 2.0 Perf (replacing Cole Haan ZERØGRAND Wingtips) |
| I've been a Cole Haan ZERØGRAND guy for quite a while now, mostly after I walked CES for 3 days in a pair of leather-sole J&Ms, and my feet have never hurt as much. But I've decided to save the ZERØGRANDs for trade show use because the soles compress and wear pretty quickly, and I'd like to get more than a year out of my latest pair. I found a great pair of J&M Cort 2.0 Perfs in Tan Full Grain at a local Goodwill for $8, and I can't tell they're not brand new... the soles still have the shine of a new pair, and the new-leather smell is still there too. I have a bad feeling these will become my regular non-sneaker shoes, so they may not stay travel-specific. |
Hello! My friend and I are returning from Rome -> Heathrow -> US (Dallas) -> Final Destination this weekend. Her family wants to pick her up in Dallas instead of our original intended final destination.
Since we get our checked bags back in Dallas, could she theoretically just go through customs and then leave the airport for them to pick her up? I wasn’t sure if these areas were blocked off or how this would work. Thank you!
Argument:
Travel can be stressful enough without having to worry about gate checking carry on bags bc they’re too big.
The crux: Away’s “bigger topside carry on”. Dimensions 23.2” x 15.7” x 9.8”. It is being delivered today, New.
Her argument: “I have a bag that is exactly the same size (i doubt this) and I’ve never had a problem with overhead bins!”
My rebuttal: “According to every airline standard (that we’ve recently flown (ITA, SAS, AIR FRANCE, UNITED, DELTA, SINGAPORE AIR, (and we have JAL/ANA planned in the next 2 years))this bag is too big by more than an inch in every dimension. If they actually enforce their size standards, that is going to be a last minute gate check…”
We have been traveling business class of late, but this will definitely not be a lifetime deal.
I stress enough about making connections and itineraries and reservations enough on international trips to be worrying about something as stupid as 2 extra liters of space disallowing a carry-on.
What say you guys? Have you ever had issues with actual size restrictions? How about an overhead bin door not being able to close because your carry-on was too big??
TIA
Excluding hotel, would that be enough? Mostly on metro tickets, breakfast, lunch and dinner. No Michelin restaurants for sure. We don’t drink alcohol. But one paid attraction a day would be nice. There will be two of us so we’ll have €1000. Will we struggle?
We wanted to go to Disneyland too but damn that place is expensive. I was there 14 years ago but my partner has never been there before, we honestly both hate crazy crowds so I guess this place should be out of the list.
Going to New Orleans on Thursday and me and my hubby want to bring some party favors you would use at a festival/rave, but we’re having a disagreement about the best way to do so. I think mailing it to a UPS spot would be the best idea but he thinks putting them in a Dramamine container and taking it on carry on. What’s the best way?
I am probably missing something, maybe someone can explain it to me? I got an email from Finnair with an offer to purchase Avios, their internal currency. Here is the math: I can buy 5000 Avios for roughly $150. These 5000 Avios are worth about $50 when using them for a seat selection, or about $25 when when purchasing a plane ticket. So, I could spend $150 to get roughly $25-$50 in benefits. What's point? Who is buying Avios? Am I math challenged? Am I missing something obvious?
I've got a ticket from A to C since the price from A to B was double. I'm currently planning on walking out of the airport at B and taking my final destination (D), but I realized that if I book a flight from B to D (an airport near C) on the same airline, it is a totally reasonable cost. The flight from B to D will also take off and land long before the connection I booked from B to C, but I am worried that since I am on the same airline they might somehow void that ticket from B to D. Is that a valid concern? Will the airline notice that I have one flight booked out of B at 1pm separate from my normal connection that leaves at 11pm and penalize me? Thanks in advance.
I'm about to travel to USA the next month. The main challenge is that all the money I have to spend ( Or the majority) is in cash.
I have a budget of 2000 USD to spend during my 3 weeks in there. Nevertheless, I don't like having so much money in cash.
What's the best way to deal with this? Are prepaid cards safe in USA. I feel that many places will not accept cash at all.
My carry on suit case is 57.2cm tall by 34.3cm x 22.9cm.
We will be going in Swiss air and than Lufthansa? Wondering if the height will pose issues.
Hello Everyone,
I am renting a car from Sixt, for a 10 days road trip.
Will be driving over 1000 Miles.
I am purchasing the “Peace of mind” insurance from them.
Is there anything I need to aware of? Hidden fees or later charges with this coverage option?
Edit: one more question. I booked intermediate SUV. What are usually the options if you ever rented the same category? Am I able to choose make and model from the category options? As I am a Honda person.
TIA
I regularly fly a 10 hour route which is often busy. Sometimes if I'm in the last section to board the overheads are full and the nearest overhead space is at the other end of the plane. I find the stuff in the overheads near me belongs to people at another part of the plane. How can I address this because during those 10 hours I want to get stuff out of my bag often. Im always in the aisle because I need to get up and fidget including going into my bag. Thanks
Going to Cancun this summer. Was trying to see if there is any way around the upcharge insurance that I’m reading online about and getting upfront costs now. I have AMEX Plat, CSR, Venture X.