On safari, learning the wisdom of paying less
African safaris don't come cheap. But if you think paying more guarantees a more enjoyable trip, think again.
In a recent New York Times column, David Brooks reflects on a safari he went on with his family in Kenya and Tanzania. Throughout the trip, the family stayed in seven different camps. Some of the camps were fairly primitive, without even running water or electricity. Others were on the ritzy side, with pools and working showers and many eager-to-please staffers.
Guess which camps Brooks preferred? The cheaper, more basic camps. Why? The atmosphere was warmer and friendlier, and that made all the difference. At these camps, guests interacted and got to know each other -- and the camp staffers -- in ways that a luxury travel experience rarely allows for. Brooks and his family played soccer, had impromptu spear-throwing competitions, and went on mock hunts to stalk imaginary prey with the staffers at the primitive camps. They had a blast.
The ritzier camps, by contrast, were more impressive on the surface, but ultimately were less comfortable, less welcoming, less fun, and less memorable. Brooks writes:
The more elegant camps felt colder. At one, each family had its own dinner table, so we didn't get to know the other guests. The tents were spread farther apart. We also didn't get to know the staff, who served us mostly as waiters, the way they would at a nice hotel.
The moral: Sometimes with travel, you can pay less for an experience you'd prefer more. Also: Almost always with travel, the best experiences are most memorable because of the people you're with as much as where you are.
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Heading to Europe? Have a Blue Lagoon layover
Some of the cheapest flights to Europe from New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC., right now are on Icelandair and Iceland Express. For example, the lowest priced ticket for flights in mid-September between Dulles Airport and London Heathrow was recently on Icelandair. The catch with these cheap flights is that they all make stops in Iceland, which lengthens the overall trip. Planes typically land around 6 or 6:30 in the morning, and then depart again around 7:45 or 8. These layovers raise a question: Is there a way to take advantage of the time on the ground—say, until 4 p.m., or 7 p.m.—and enjoy Iceland a little bit before continuing your flight? Some travelers have found the answer is yes. They even deliberately pick a later departure out of the 34-year old Keflavik Airport to maximize their layover and have enough time to look around. The most popular attraction to see is only a half-hour away: the milky Blue Lagoon. We recently wrote about the Blue Lagoon in our story on affordable and picturesque public pools worldwide. Here's what we had to say: The aptly named Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland, outside of Reykjavik, draws more than 400,000 visitors a year to its 1.6 million gallons of approximately 100-degree seawater. Steam rises from these sky blue hot springs across a surreal landscape of black lava mounds, and bathers slather themselves with silica mud, precipitated from the springwater and known for its relaxing (and purported healing) properties. Formed in the 1970s as a by-product of the neighboring geothermal plant (after the plant used the hot water, it was led back to the lava field and formed the lagoon), the Blue Lagoon spawned a wellness center in 1999. With a restaurant, a spa, a dry sauna, and steam baths, the facility draws visitors from around the globe. Accessibility: Year-round. Affordability: Day pass $42. Hours: Sept. 1–May 31, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; June 1–Aug. 31, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. 240 Grindavik, 011-354/4-208-800; bluelagoon.com So what do you need to know—practically speaking—to add a Blue Lagoon visit to your next overseas vacation? Hopping a taxi is the easiest but also the most prohibitively expensive option, at up to $50 each way per couple. Hopping a shuttle bus is easier and it only take 15 minutes to get from the airport to the spa. Bus lines leave daily from the main bus station close to the airport for a fare of ISK850 ($7.50) one-way per person. But Excursion buses stopping at the Blue Lagoon don't start until at 9:30 in the morning Sept 1 - May 31, so expect to have time to pass through passport control and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the spacious and recently redesigned food court. (In the summer, there are more frequent, earlier departures, too.) Returns are frequent as well, with the bus line Excursions running a 2:15 p.m. bus that arrives 15 minutes later at the airport every day all year round, with additional afternoon trips during summer months. Rival bus companies to Excursions may have better schedules, so check NetBus and Gray Line for more info. Remember to pack your bathing suit and flip flops in your carry on, as your checked luggage will be left at the airport. A layover of about seven hours between flights is enough to get to the Blue Lagoon, relax, and then get back, without feeling rushed or panicked. But the capital city is a bit farther away to get to, and the downtown is a bit of a walk from the main bus station, so you are best advised to only explore the city if you're staying over for the night. Would you include a stop at the Blue Lagoon on your next trip to Europe? SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Would You Pay Extra to Sit in the Front of a Plane? Top Viral Airline Video of All Time Road Killers: Rating Buses for Safety
The Empire State Building turns 80
The Empire State Building is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, and the 20th-century icon has not only debuted some stunning cosmetic renovations, but has completed a super green upgrade that's setting the bar for commercial buildings around the world. When visiting the ESB, the revamped lobby will make even hardened New Yorkers look up: A gold-leaf celestial ceiling mural was painstakingly recreated after spending years covered up by (shame!) a drop ceiling. And further inside, two Art Deco chandeliers that were originally planned for the building but never created have finally been designed and installed. During my visit this summer, I was so impressed by the lengths that the restoration went to in order to stay true to original techniques. The replaced marble panels in the hallways, for example, have been installed according to the original method of "butterflying" the slabs. That is, imagine slicing through marble as you would a loaf of bread, then opening the slices like pages of a book—the result is a series of mirrored pairs that line the walls and showcase the veining pattern in the marble, like a gleaming set of Rorschach paintings. It's this level of detail that makes the ESB's restored interior so gorgeous—even if you didn't know about butterflied marble and recommissioned chandeliers, the building's craftsmanship is evidently grand. The main focus of the ESB overhaul, while not as superficially show-stopping, is making a huge impact: a sustainability retrofit, prompted in part by the Clinton Climate Initiative. From replacing every window (more than 6,000) to overhauling the radiators, to reassessing tenants' energy usage, the ESB has reduced its carbon emissions by 38%, and will save an estimated $4.4 million in energy costs per year. The experience of visiting the Empire State Building has been streamlined as well: even in the high season, the average wait time is about 45 minutes—and once you reach the elevator bank, you'll shoot up to the 80th floor in 57 seconds. To shorten your wait by 20 minutes, book your tickets in advance online. In January and February (with the exception of Valentine's Day) the wait time's much shorter, about 20 minutes total. And if spending a winter's day on the 86th floor's observation deck doesn't sound appealing, stay cozy in the enclosed 102nd-floor Observatory. Or, try coming on the off-hours, any time of year. Early birds who arrive as the observation deck opens at 8 a.m. will have a much speedier trip to the top. The deck also stays open until 2 a.m. (the last elevator is at 1:15 a.m.), so those who saunter in after midnight will find the lines have dispersed. Bonus: Thursday through Saturday evenings, a wandering jazz-saxophone player will take your requests. To learn more about the Empire State Building, from the color of tonight's lights to more green initiatives, visit esbnyc.com. Have you been to the ESB lately? Have a memorable moment from your visit that you'd like to share? Post in the comments below! SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: 50 Reasons You Love New York City Confessions of...A New York City Street-Food Vendor 16 Awe-Inspiring American Monuments
How To Score Tickets To Your Favorite Late Night Shows
How would you like your next trip to New York or L.A. to include a guaranteed celebrity sighting and a live performance by a popular musician or comedian? With a little patience, a little planning, and in some cases, a little luck, you can get all of that—wait for it—for free. Here's our ultimate guide to snagging tickets for seven popular late-night shows—with a cheat sheet to help you figure out which ones will be easiest to get your hands on. And just in case it didn't sink in the first time: they're all free. NEW YORK CITY Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) Where: 30 Rockefeller PlazaTicket Score-ability: ModerateMinimum Age: 17 Now four–and–a–half years old, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (weeknights, 12:35 ET on NBC) has become an Emmy–nominated fan favorite. Tickets are relatively accessible: you can request tickets for up to four people by calling 212-664-3056, at least four to six weeks before the show you'd like to attend. Not bad for a talk show that also includes a nightly set by The Roots. You can also try the standby line for same-day tickets, which are handed out based on availability at 9am (on taping days only) under the NBC Studios marquee on 49th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. For more information: Visit this website to learn more about free show tapings, how to see Jimmy Fallon's monologue rehearsal, and how to score a spot in the "Band Bench," a special section reserved for huge fans of the show's musical guest. Saturday Night Live (NBC) Where: 30 Rockefeller PlazaTicket Score-ability: DifficultMinimum Age: 16 Within the space of a couple of months last season, Lady Gaga, Helen Mirren, and Elton John graced Saturday Night Live's stage—even on an "off" night, it shouldn't be a surprise that the landmark program (Saturdays, 11:30 ET on NBC) remains one of the hottest tickets in town. Know ahead of time that it is challenging to get a spot—but not impossible, so keep hope alive. There are two ways of going about it: Sign up for the show's lottery system during the month of August by sending an email to snltickets@nbcuni.com—lucky applicants will receive two tickets to either a live show or a dress rehearsal. The second way to get tickets is to wait in the show's standby line under the NBC marquee (featured in the show's opening credits) on 49th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Tickets are given out Saturdays (during taping weeks) at 7am, limited to one per person, and good for either then 8 p.m. dress rehearsal or the 11:30 p.m. live broadcast. Sure, it's early, but you can get a jump-start on sightseeing at nearby MoMa, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and of course, 30 Rock itself. For more information: Visit this website for more info on getting tickets to several NBC shows, including SNL, America's Got Talent, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) Where: 733 11th AvenueTicket Score-ability: DifficultMinimum Age: 18 It's the most-watched late night show among 18-49 year olds; it's the winner of fourteen Emmys, thirteen of them back-to-back; its host has been voted "America's most trusted newscaster." Even the fact that The Daily Show (Mon.–Thu., 11pm ET on Comedy Central) tapes every day—usually an advantage in ticket-scoring potential—doesn't do much to increase the wishful fan's odds. The program's website makes no bones about it: "Unfortunately, there are no tickets to see The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at this time," it announces, laying down a virtual velvet rope. It turns out that your best bet is following the advice on that discouraging landing page and signing up for the show's email update list. Yes, such lists often lead you to a black hole of uncertainty and spam, but it helps to have a little bit of insight into how the ticketing system works. A representative for the network tells us that tickets, once available, are released every Friday (aside from days when the staff is out of the office) between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. Each time this happens, announcements are made to the email list recipients, and also via the show's Facebook and Twitter pages. Those on the email list will also have the best chance of snagging a spot from someone who's canceled their reservation, which can happen "any day, at any time." So in other words, watch your inbox and Facebook/Twitter feeds like a hawk. For more information: thedailyshow.com/tickets. LOS ANGELES Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) Where: Los Angeles 6840 Hollywood BoulevardTicket Score-ability: EasyMinimum Age: 18 (16 for Outdoor Mini–Concert Series only) A fixture on just about every big movie's press tour, Jimmy Kimmel Live! (weeknights, 12am ET on ABC) pulls in marquee names several nights a week. You can sign up for tickets at 1iota.com, which bills itself as a provider of "free tickets for fans." You'll need to register for a free account and choose the date you'd like to attend. 1iota.com conveniently lists confirmed guests for each date, and Jimmy Kimmel headliners appearing in the near future are often visible. If you live in L.A. (or just happen to be visiting) and spontaneity strikes, there is also a same-day ticket request hotline that you can call (323/570-0096). If a ticketed guest cancels their reservation, or the showrunners have extra seats to fill, it might be your lucky day. For more Information: 1iota.com The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS) Where: 200 North Fairfax AvenueTicket Score-ability: EasyMinimum Age: 18 1iota.com also handles ticketing for this freewheeling entry in the late–night canon (weeknights, 12:37am ET on CBS). The Late Late Show is often considered an underrated gem, and ticket availability reflects that—spots are more accessible than those for 1ota's other late–night heavyweight, Jimmy Kimmel Live. One catch: for the most part, you're not able to see who the guests are going to be. However, with Dick Van Dyke, Kristen Bell, and Hugh Laurie among the recent and upcoming guests, the chances of a pleasant surprise are pretty high. For more information: 1iota.com Conan (TBS) Where: Warner Bros. Studios, 6564 Forest Lawn DriveTicket Score-ability: DifficultMinimum Age: 16 Conan O'Brien's high-profile scuffle with NBC may have set him up as an underdog, but you wouldn't know it from the ticket availability for Conan (weeknights, 11pm ET on TBS). As with Saturday Night Live, there are two ways to root for Team Coco in person: through a lottery, and through the standby system. To sign up for the lottery, you will need to choose the date you would like to attend in advance (once you've made your initial selection, it can't be changed). You can follow Team Coco's Facebook page or Twitter feed to be alerted when new dates become available. Standby tickets (with a cap on two tickets per person) are also given out on the second floor of the studio's parking structure every taping morning at 10 a.m. (sounds shady, we know—but this is confirmed by the show's press representative and on its official site). Getting a ticket here is the first stage of the standby process—you'll also need to check back in that afternoon to see if your ticket will get you in. For more information: teamcoco.com/tickets. Chelsea Lately (E!) Where: 12312 West Olympic BoulevardTicket Score-ability: EasyMinimum Age: 18 It's definitely cheaper to catch Chelsea at her talk show (weeknights, 11pm ET on E!), than one of her standup appearances—and it just might be easier, too. Tickets for Chelsea Lately are released through On Camera Audiences every Monday—staffer Kate tells us that it's best to reserve a spot that day, as they tend to sell out towards the end of the week. You can sign up for the date that you'd like to attend (up to 60 days in advance), reserving up to four tickets at a time. For more information: http://on-camera-audiences.com/shows/Chelsea_Lately VARIOUS GAME SHOW TAPINGS AROUND THE U.S. Just want to see something? We're told that game shows, while not guaranteed, are usually the easiest tapings to reserve (The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal—both in Los Angeles—and Family Feud—which tapes in Atlanta—are among the game shows that On Camera Audiences coordinates). The toughest to see? Unsurprisingly, the juggernauts like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. Even these aren't out of the realm of possibility for the patient fan, though—"it can take a year or more, but people think tickets for these shows are impossible to get—if you join the wait list, they're not," says Kate. For more Information: on-camera-audiences.com.
A sneak peek of the 9/11 Memorial site
One month before the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, I got a preview of the National September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan, which will be open to victims' family members on Sept. 11, 2011, and unveiled to the public one day later. The memorial plaza sits on eight of the 16 acres that comprise the redeveloped World Trade Center site, and consists of twin memorial reflecting pools in the footprints of the original twin towers, around which are inscribed the 2,982 names of the people who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 and on Feb. 26, 1993. Rather than arrange the names alphabetically, they are arranged by what organizers call "meaningful adjacencies," so that, for instance, all the first responders are grouped together, those that died in World Trade Center North are grouped together and those that were on Flight 11 are together. Friends and family of the victims could also request that names be placed next to one another that had particular meaning or significance to them. There will be kiosks where visitors can go to search for names and their placement on the memorial by name, company, flight, tower or even hometown. The rest of the plaza consists of more than 150 trees, all of which are oak, except for one, a Callory Pear tree, also known as the "survivor tree." It was at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 and the Parks Department rescued it from the rubble. It had been reduced to a stump, but has since sprouted new branches. At the center of the plaza lies the Memorial Museum, which is slated to open in 2012. The remainder of the World Trade Center Redevelopment project consists of the Transportation Hub, which will connect a PATH station with 13 subway lines, and several commercial office buildings, including Four World Trade Center, which when completed will be the future headquarters of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and One World Trade Center (formerly called the Freedom Tower), which will be the tallest skyscraper in New York at 104 floors and 1,776 feet to the top of the building's spire. To visit the site, guests have to reserve a visitor pass online at 911memorial.org. Passes are free and can be reserved as far as six months in advance. There are daily limits, which is why The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation, Inc. recommends reserving online. The entrance to the site will be at Greenwich and Liberty Streets. When it opens, the memorial will still be surrounded on all four sides by construction. Hard hats not required. More from Budget Travel: 50 Reasons You Love New York City More airports consider ditching TSA U.S. urges travelers to be vigilant in aftermath of bin Laden death
