Archive for September 21st, 2009

Heck, my flight is in two hours, but at least I don’t have to fiddle with the TSA. Chances are good I’ll be able to bring my coffee aboard, too.

Why? Because when you fly with Era Aviation, it’s straight from the gate to the flight. Now that Era Aviation has teamed up with Frontier Flying Service and Hageland Aviation, all three airlines fly under the “Frontier Alaska” banner. That means through-service to about 100 Alaska communities, including far-flung communities like St. Mary’s, Unalakleet and Kotzebue. Stay tuned for reports from our trip to Homer. It’s always a great day to fly with Era!

Have you ever wanted to cruise the Panama Canal? This is a big deal, folks.

I didn’t realize it myself until I read “Path Between the Seas” by David McCullough. If you plan to sail the Big Ditch, this is required reading. Thanks to my friend Brock S., who recommended the book.

Kelly Jo over at USTravel has some great deals with Holland America on Panama Canal Sailings. There are 10-day itineraries for as little as $649 per person, double (wow!). But if you’re interested in the canal, go ahead and explore the 14-day itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego.

Right now there is a GREAT deal on the Oct. 16, 2009 sailing: as low as $699 per person, double. Ports include Cartegena, Columbia (BEAUTIFUL city), Huatulco, Mexico, Puerto Vallarta and San Diego.

Have you heard about Belize? South of Cancun, this country is an eco-traveler’s paradise. Kelly Jo found a great eight-day/seven night kayaking adventure that sounds great. The price? Just $1,199 per person, double. It’s a chance to do some island-hopping off the coast. More than 300 islands are located just off the mainland in Belize. Kayaking is a great way to explore! Ask Kelly Jo for more information.

Are you just looking for a cheap cruise? Heck, Kelly Jo has some great deals with Carnival. Three-day itineraries from Southern California to Mexico start at just $159 per person, double. Can’t beat it!!

Start planning your next vacation today. Let Kelly Jo and the professionals at USTravel help. Call them ow at (800)544-2217 or locally in Anchorage (907)561-2434.

I almost slipped out of the house without my GCI Wireless Card. Whew. Honestly, it’s a handy item. If you have GCI cable here in Alaska, this handy device costs you $20/mo. So far, I’ve field-tested the device with my MacBook Pro in Juneau, Ketchikan, Fairbanks, Soldotna, Seward and Homer. It’s fast–and it’s often more dependable than a local “free” network. Check it out.

Of course, my Crackberry from GCI stays on my hip. Do you want to learn more about the Zen of Blackberry? Check out GCI’s “Blackberry Campus”.

“BlackBerry 101″ educates you about the features of your smartphone. A GCI presenter and technical coach will lead the class through a slide presentation and interactive demonstration about BlackBerry basics, such as email and messaging, to more advanced tips and tricks.

FREE! No Tuition Required!  Sign up here (classes limited to 10 participants). You’ll be able to use live devices! Sign up online. You could win 10,000 Alaska Airlines miles, too! In Anchorage, the classes are at the  GCI store on Northern Lights and C Street.

Upcoming dates: , Oct. 17 (1pm) or Oct. 22 (5:30p) in Anchorage. This is a required course for every certified Road Warrior!!

Ya. I’ve been renting Camrys from Avis here in Alaska for years.

Juneau. Fairbanks. Kodiak. Kenai. Even here in Anchorage.

Then I bought one. Honestly, I could do one of those “Love my Camry” commercials.  CLICK HERE to see rental specials here in Alaska.

At the end of the summer, Avis sells off much of its rental fleet around the state. Here are some of the deals I saw at their website:

Anchorage

2007 Toyota Camry: $16,590

2006 Toyota Corolla 12,690

2007 Toyota Highlander 19.590

2007 Toyota RAV4 18,490

2009 Nissan Murano AWD 28,490

Check with the folks at Avis here in Anchorage for details: (907)249-8243. Check the latest deals online.