Vacations & Holiday News

With many people in the world “going green” and lending a helping hand to the world around them whenever possible, it is no surprise that the travel industry has seen a rise in the number of green travelers in recent years. Ecotourism is the name given to this still relatively new phenomenon that is quickly gaining steam.

Although many travel accommodations around the world claim to be green, a number of false claims have been uncovered over the years. To help keep track of which green hotels and other travel vendors really offers true green results and which aren’t all they claim to be, a new website has been founded. WholeTravel.com was just launched earlier this month, it is already making waves in the travel industry.

At WholeTravel.com, you can find a growing database of ecotourism reviews. Most of the destinations are graded in four areas (environment, economic, social & cultural, and customer service) to create their “Whole Ranking Scores.” You can search the locations by activities, amenities, terrains, destinations or by their Whole Rankings. The site has also offers a wealth of photos and maps, in addition to their Whole Travel blog, which intends to bring you the latest sustainable travel news.

To help with the rating system, WholeTravel.com has partnered with non-profit organizations from every part of the globe. Additionally, visitors to the site can leave notes, reviews and recommendations about specific accommodations.

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Ecotourism Rating System

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Ecotourism Rating System

Take a look and see in this video! See footage of Oahu, Hawaii here. Hawaii really is paradise. Do you like what you see? Tell me what you think!

Original post:
What Is Hawaii Like?

If you are flying Southwest, you need to be aware of the heavy baggage restrictions that are in place. In other words, your luggage must not exceed the limit set forth by the airline. If it does, you will either have to pay a fee, or if too heavy, you will only be able to check it as air cargo. And if you need to check your luggage as air cargo, there are additional steps that you must take.

First things first, the maximum weight for one bag is 50 pounds. Overweight bags from 51 to 70 pounds are assessed a fee of $25. Items weighing 71 to 100 pounds are only accepted for a charge of $50. As noted above, if your bag weighs more than 100 pounds it can only be checked as air cargo. For this to happen, you must be classified as a known shipper by the TSA. As you can imagine, it is much easier to simply make sure that your bag does not weigh more than 100 pounds.

Southwest does charge for heavy baggage. Fortunately, for customers of this airline the restrictions and fees are not as nearly strict as some others.

photo credit: Cubbie_n_Vegas

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Does Southwest Charge for Heavy Baggage?

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Does Southwest Charge for Heavy Baggage?

There has been a lot of talk going around about the fuel shortage in Atlanta. There is, however, fuel around if you are willing to use what little gas that you have to find it. It seems that there is more gas to be found in Atlanta near the airport. If you are in some of the suburbs north of the city, you may have trouble getting gas. For example, extremely long lines, and closed pumps are becoming the norm. I was shocked to find that QT (Quick Trip) had absolutely no gasoline. The gas station at the local Ingels grocery store was closed. And that’s a 24 hour pumping station, just like the QT. The governor is telling Atlanta residents and visitor not to panic, but the first thought that ran through my mind, centered around needing gas to get to work on Monday. If I don’t get to work, I don’t get paid and could possibly lose my job, which wouldn’t be cute the way things are going economically in the U.S. Luckily, I was able to find gas by getting up at the crack of dawn and heading to the local Wal-Mart (the only station around me that had gas). The Wal-Mart only had regular unleaded gas, which was just find with me, and I readily paid almost $4 a gallon for it.

There were a lot of events going on in the city, the Atlanta Classic game, etc., but it is a scary thing for visitors who may be unfamiliar with the area to hunt for gas. No one wants to be stranded.

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Gas in Atlanta?

If you are flying Jet Blue, you need to be aware of their baggage policies; including those for heavy baggage. While you may never have to deal with this, if you are carrying a bag that is a bit heavier than normal there is a good chance that you will be charged an extra fee.

Bags that are 50 pounds or less will not be charged an overweight bag fee. For bags between 51 and 70 pounds, a fee of $50 per bag will be added. If your bag weighs between 71 and 99 pounds, the fee doubles to $100. Unfortunately, Jet Blue does not allow bags over 99 pounds to be checked.

It is important to also know that Jet Blue charges fees for oversized bags. For example, if your bag is both oversized and overweight, you will have to pay the fee for both.

You should also be aware that Jet Blue does not allow for overweight baggage on flights to and from the Dominican Republic.

Before you head to the airport, try to determine whether or not your bags are overweight. If so, you can either attempt to remove some items or be prepared to pay up to $100.

photo credit: Cubbie_n_Vegas

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Does Jet Blue Charge for Heavy Baggage?

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Does Jet Blue Charge for Heavy Baggage?