HOTELS 70% OFF IN OVER 165 CITIES WORLDWIDE!
SAMPLE CITIES:
Paris ..............from $59    London ..........from $79   New York .................from $69  La$ Vega$ ......................from $39

CLICK HERE FOR ALL CITIES:

• Florence, Italy!
• Summit of Mauna Kea

*BONUS MILE OFFERS *

• Reduced-award offers from six airlines
• FROM HERTZ: BONUS MILES OR DISCOUNT
• FAIRMONT STAYS EARN BONUS AADVANTAGE MILES
• Double Southwest Rapid Rewards Credits Through December 31
• Double miles: Starting Monday, members of American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, Northwest Airlines WorldPerks, US Airways Dividend Miles and United Airlines Mileage Plus frequent-flier programs receive double miles at any of Choice Hotels International's 3,300 franchised hotels in the USA and Caribbean. Promotion ends Dec. 15.

SPECIAL OFFERS *

• Aruba, St. Maarten, and other island getaways from $216 R/T
• Orlando hotel stays as low as $30/night
• AER LINGUS: Stunning $99 Fares to Ireland:  We're almost blasé about the appearance of one-way transatlantic fares below $100--but only on the heavily competitive London route and only for very brief periods in the dead of winter. That's why the new $99 "@erfares" from Aer Lingus are so stunning. Not only are they valid to Dublin and Shannon--not exactly the nexus of ferocious, transatlantic competition--they are available for travel between November 15 and March 29, 2003. Here are the specifics: The $99 one-way fare is valid for midweek travel from Boston/Logan, Chicago/O'Hare and on selected flights from New York/Kennedy. (A one-way midweek fare of $124 from Los Angeles is also available.) Tickets must be purchased by October 15 and must be purchased at the Aer Lingus Web site. Among the restrictions: The nonrefundable fares require a Saturday-night stay and a roundtrip purchase, do not earn frequent-flyer miles and are not valid from December 18-26 and March 10-22. From Joesentme.com
• Fare sale: British Airways has cut fares to some European destinations. Purchase by Sept. 30 for travel Oct. 16-March 5. Sample round-trip fares: Newark, N.J.-London, $278; Philadelphia-London, $318.
• Fare sale: US Airways has cut fares for domestic travel through Dec. 11. Tickets must be purchased at least 14 days before departure, and no later than Friday. Other restrictions apply. Sample round-trip fares: Albany, N.Y.-Baltimore, $78; Boston-Denver, $258; Providence-Fort Lauderdale, $178.
• Hotel deals: Best Western is cutting rates up to 50% at select hotels in the USA, Canada and the Caribbean Oct. 7-Dec. 22. Sample daily rates: Chicago, $69; Orlando, $39; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, $65; and Los Angeles, $55. Book online at bestwestern.com and look for rooms designated BestRates or call 800-WESTERN and mention the BestRates program First-class sale : National Airlines has lowered first-class fares for travel through June 30. Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 30. A three-day advance purchase is required. Sample round-trip first-class fares to/from Las Vegas: Los Angeles, $238; San Francisco, $338; and Washington Dulles, $698. Fares do not include taxes or fees.
• Introductory One-way Fares From $64 On AirTran's New West Palm Beach Flights

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 JOHNNY JET'S HANDY TRAVEL TOOL BAR
Hotels.com | 1800USAHotel | Hotwire | Priceline | Orbitz | Expedia | Travelocity
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WHERE'S JOHNNY JET ?
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Who says you can't go to Hawaii for dinner?  Certainly not me!  Listen to last week's trip:   It was 9am on Saturday and I felt the ol' travel itch coming on.  I woke  up Amber Airplane and said, "How about we go somewhere nice and far for dinner?"  She opened one eye and said with a tired but excited voice, "I am not going anywhere further than 5 hours so get the Europe or Asia thing out of your head RIGHT NOW".   I smiled and said, "Dang!  Well then how about either Mexico City for taco's or Kona for some fresh seafood?"  Without hesitation she said, "Kona would be good."  Amber literally packed as fast as she could, while I made some  quick travel arrangements on Johnny Jet (Sat night stay!).  We drove like a bat out of hell to LAX and parked.  Luckily there was no security line and we just made it to the gate before the cutoff.  While waiting to see if our upgrade was going to go through, I remembered I had a phone interview with a radio station in Alaska.  So, instead of rescheduling I had the interview from Terminal 7 at LAX and it went better then ever, even with the background PA noise.  You gotta love FREE press!

Our upgrade went through!  Which meant we had a nice phat seat and a tasty first class meal :  Ka'u orange-glazed grilled breast of chicken and Kapakahi mashed potatoes, baby bok choy, and red bell peppers.  MMm! MMm!  The bad news is the flight went over five hours by twenty minutes, which meant I was in BIG trouble with Amber.  

We landed in Kona after the 2,505 mile journey.  As we walked down the open air stairs, I felt the warm breeze heated by the black rocky lava terrain.  The heat and humidity made me want to jump back inside the plane for that nice cool stale AC (just kidding).  It really made me want to jump in a car and drive as fast I could to the hotel so I could throw on my bathing suit and take dip in the refreshing 77 degree Pacific Ocean .   

Kona is located on Big Island of Hawaii.  The Big Island is the largest island in the Pacific, (4,038 sq. miles, which is about the size of my native state of Connecticut), and the least populated, (with 30 people per sq. mile).  It has the nation's wettest city, (Hilo), the southernmost point in the United States, and the most volcanoes of any Hawaiian island.  The BIG Island really has it all:  from the fiery volcanoes, to the sparkling waterfalls, to the black-lava deserts, to the snowcapped mountain peaks, (Yes, it is true you can Heli ski in the winter), to tropical rain forests,  and miles of beaches, (But not as many as you would think).  The Big Island has 13 of the 14 possible climates and a 50-mile drive can take you from snowy winter to steamy summer, not to mention you will pass through spring or fall along the way.  The best description I read about the Big Island was:  "The island looks like the inside of a barbecue pit on one side, (Kona side), and a lush jungle on the other, (Hilo side).  

We rented from Alamo and luckily we didn't check bags because we beat the mad rush at the rental car office.  (Don't you just hate waiting in line especially in Hawaii after a long flight?)  The agent tried to hard sell me for insurance, gas, and an upgrade, but I said NO, NO, and NO!  Then Amber Airplane over heard the lady say how about a Jeep Wrangler, I was like N....and Amber Airplane butts in and says, "That's my favorite!  How much more for that?"  The lady says, "It's only $35 more", and I said,  "Sorry that's way too much!"  We talked some more and ended up making friends with the agent and I said, "We will only get the jeep if you hook us up BIG time".  Our new found  Hawaiian friend says, "How about if I give you my discount which is only $12 more per day."  I looked at Amber's face which had that we-flew-over-5-hours-look, so I said what the heck....Sold.  

Since we were only there for one night we weren't going to break the bank and stay at a 4 or 5-star resort.  It would've been nice believe me, but a waste.  Instead we stayed at an inexpensive 3-star hotel with a lot of local history, The King Kamehameha .   King Kam , what the locals call it, is not the greatest hotel but when you're on a budget and want to be close to town, it does the trick. 

I have only been to Kona a half a dozen times and haven't been for a couple of years so we weren't going to play the "walk around town blind game" like we did last week.   So we spent a good portion of our flight speaking with a cool flight attendant named Jan.  Jan lives in Kona and gave us some great tips.  By The Way: You think I fly a lot?  Jan commutes to LAX to work the Kona flights.  She works six trips a month which means she flies six trips to get to and from work.  That means she crosses the pacific 24 times a month, (24!), and that's when she's lucky, that's right lucky!  Because if the KOA flights are overbooked, which they usually are in high season, she sometimes has to fly LAX-NRT (Tokyo) to catch a HNL (Honolulu) flight, then jump on an Aloha Airlines flight to KOA.  Now that is crazy, so going to Hawaii for dinner is not!  Right?  Right!

Jan's recommendations were great!  She said for a nice dinner go to Huggo's (not Huggo's on the Rocks which is right next door).  We did and it was awesome!  I'll add my own tip which is get there at 5:25pm for an early dinner.  The reason is because they don't start seating until 5:30 and you will be sure to get a prime time table along the water.  Order some lava flows , (Pina Colada & Strawberry Margarita mixed), or a Mai Tai and watch the sunset at 6:30 .  It's incredible and when the sun does set don't be surprised when everyone, including the help start clapping.  It's their way of thanking God or Mother Nature.  Make sure to keep a close eye out on the water because you will most certainly see sea turtles and puffer fish come in for some bread that the waiters, (and diners like me), throw over.  Don't be scared, just give a good hook-shot over your shoulder, the waiter's won't care, trust me, it's Hawaii.

The next morning we really wanted to go to the Volcano which is 98 miles away and about 2 1/2 drive, but my lower back started killing me and I did not want to hike the volcano miserable.  Besides, now we have a good reason to go back!  Instead we took Jan's advice and went to Dirty Jakes for eggs benedict, which were made to perfection.   Then we walked around town and the local shops.  We bought some chocolates with macadamia nuts, (That's right Dad, I got them for you!), and other local gifts.  Then we stopped by one of the best snowcone shops on the planet that had every flavor in the world, (I had a guava, passion fruit, and Mai Tai one).  Then we stumbled upon a little farmers market which sold incredible lei's for only $5 and passion fruits for 50cents.  You can't beat it!   We could've saved some money and gone to the Walmart which was a few blocks away and stocked up on Hawaiian gifts that all the tourist stores sold for twice the price, but I have a hard time going to Walmart in Hawaii.  Besides, the locals need the money more than the Walton, (Walmart), family. 

Instead of renting snorkels from Snorkel Bob for $8 a day, we bought some cheap ones for $6 from the ABC Store, (which are practically on every corner on all the major islands).  We decided to put the Jeep to good use and we took a right out of the King Kam and drove 6 miles to Kahaluu Beach .   This beach is known by the locals for it's amazing snorkeling.  Amber Airplane really wanted to go snorkeling which surprised me because she's afraid of squirrels, pigeons , crickets..... you name it.   We walked out about 50 yards without incident before putting our masks on.  We put on our masks and I see this puffer fish right smack in front of us.  I looked over at Amber and she's freaking out.  We stand up and she starts yelling, "He's staring at me!"  I said, "Don't be silly, go back down."  So she goes back under.  While I am above the water I can hear her breathing so loud and fast through her snorkel that I couldn't stop laughing.  While Amber was still down there, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the $2 fish food I bought from the ABC Store without Amber's knowledge.  I thought it would be funny to get a few more fish around Amber so I started sprinkling the pellets around her.  BIG MISTAKE!  Within three seconds there were fifty or so of the most colorful fish all around us and that even made me uneasy.  In fact, Amber really started to freak out.  She jumped out of the water into my arms and started to cry.  Then her foot accidentally touched the puffer fish and she ran hip deep to shore screaming and crying.  It was one of the funniest scenes ever.  She was carrying on like a shark was in the water.  All the other beach goers were looking at her her like she was crazy.  I laughed so hard I made the water a little warmer by accident.

Once Amber got safely to shore, she laughed about it.  Unfortunately, it was time to go back to the mainland, so we jumped in the jeep and drove to the hotel then on to the airport.  The Kona Airport is one of my favorite airports in America because everything is open air with just grass huts to keep you dry.   It's a very relaxed atmosphere with no one running from gate to gate and rarely are the lines long and they even have a double security check point.

We flew home some 25 hours later and guess who was working our flight ?  That's right, Jan. 

OTHER TIDBITS ABOUT HAWAII:

• The word Kona means "leeward side" in Hawaiian and is best known for it's coffee plantations.  
  
• This time of year, (daylight savings), Hawaii is 3 hours back from PST and 6 hours from EST, otherwise it's 2 and 5 hours back, respectively.
• Check out this amazing church we drove by on the way back to the hotel.
  
• Hawaii is generally a safe tourist destination, but visitors have been crime victims, so stay alert.  The most common crime against tourists is rental car break-ins. Never leave any valuables in your car, not even in the trunk.  Thieves can be in and out of your trunk faster than you can open it with your own keys.  Be especially leery of high-risk areas, such as beaches and resorts.   
• The only thing that bother's me the slightest about Hawaii is:  No matter what island you are on, when you walk around the tourist area's you will see these total beach bums who never took their return flight home that sell dope to fund their endless summer.  These bums try to be slick, as they sometimes don't even look at you, as they whisper, "Dude, you want some buds?"  I feel like saying, "Dude, where is your return ticket back to reality?"  
• Oh By The Way:  This trip was 5,010 miles roundtrip and it put me over the 100,000 mile mark for the 7th straight year.  Not bad for a boy who used to be  afraid to fly.  I think frequent flyers who love to travel and are addicted to their miles, like me, equate flying 100,000 miles to a baseball player who manages to hit 100 RBI's (Runs Batted In).  Only a select few achieve it and those who do, usually reap the rewards and benefits.  Don't get me wrong, I would rather have $1,000,000 in the bank than miles.  But I'm content right now with the latter.
• Picking Plumeria's right from the tree .
• A cool store in town .
• The black crabs on  the rocks .
• Johnny Jet under a coconut tree .
• A historic building in town .
  

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Next Week:   ?
 
 

TIP OF THE WEEK:   (By Randy Petersen, editor of InsideFlyer)
Upgrades. United frequent fliers should buy the year's upgrade certificates before the 60% price increase goes into effect Oct. 1.  Prices are increasing from $200 to $325 for a book of four for regular frequent fliers, $125 to $200 for elites.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

• Vice presidential haunts
• Cuba is not all that inaccessible
• A return to Yankee Doodle ingenuity
• Rail pass hike again
• WORLD WATCH
• Getting satisfaction from complaints can be challenging
• New Year's a ball in Vienna
• War-related tours popular with vets
• A German's photos look at life in modern time

• Fall in Cowboy Country
• Hotel Beds Really Can Be the Stuff of Dreams
• Fall Foliage
• California Corner: Festivals, Feasts & Fairs
• New Boston Library Honors Founder of Christian Science
• All Aboard for a Grand Canyon Getaway
• Low Fare to the Riviera, Whether It Rains or Not
• Grande Dame Hotels Come Back Into View as the Classy Ladies They Are
• Ruby Mountains: The Crowning Jewel
• London's Best Hotels for $150 or Less
• Learning the London Hotel Lingo
• Making a Vacation Easier on the Eyes
• For Club Med Staff, All Work and Some Play
• A Motorcyclist's Open Road Leads to Inward Journeys
• Eastern Canada's Shoreline Trail Showcases Local Color Perfectly
• Dipping Into the Vegas Pool Analysis
• Ritz-Carlton Opens 7th Florida Hotel
• 3 Airlines Adding Flights in West, Beyond
• Deal of the Week: Paris for $579
• Traveler's Notes
• This Week's Holidays
• Free for the Asking: California Drives
• For the Record
• Readers Recommend
• Warning on Advisories
• Working for Their Supper
• Airport expansion resumes at Burbank  

• Journeys: The Lap of Luxury, Round the Corner
• Journeys: 36 Hours Burlington, Vt.
• Shopping List: Ergonomics: Backpack to the Future
• >From Escapes | Weekender: Candlewood Isle, Conn.
• Quick Escapes
• Europe: Fall/Winter: European Roundup: Glorious Recycling
• Europe: Fall/Winter: A Season for Celebrities
• Choice Tables: In Amsterdam, a Mediterranean Style Holds Sway
• What's Doing: In Vienna
• Essay: Holding the Bag in Italy
• Correspondent's Report: Americans in Europe Find Dollars Weaker
• Business Travel: Learning to Avoid a Deal-Killing Faux Pas in Japan
• Travel Advisory: A New Garden at Windsor; Prague Emerges From the Floods
• Corrections
• Practical Traveler: Package Deals in Tough Times
• Europe: Fall/Winter: The Chambers of England's Heart
• Deal of the Day: Antarctic Cruises
• Athens Olympic work makes chaos the norm

• Fall Foliage Issue: Jeepers, Peepers  
• COMINGANDGOING
• And Then There Were Two. . .
• Auckland Unfurled: Don't Dismiss the America's Cup City
• EXTREME TRAVEL TRIVIA
• SIGN HERE
• FILE THIS
• Rockies-and-Roll
• DETAILS Bedford, Pa.
• Where to Find East Coast Color From Now Until November
• Bridging the Gap
• Heart of Rock
• A Town for All Seasons

• Ferry to link Newark Airport with NYC?
• Shares of American Airlines drop to nearly 20-year low
• New air-traffic system plagued by bugs
• Is 'Dr. Evil' at the helm of Delta Air Lines?
• Who's going to pay for a dropped PC?
• United, unions dig in
• Talk of Iraq war hurts airlines
• American to upgrade St. Louis airport
• Report: Alabama group offers to invest $240 million in US Airways
• Hooters owner offers to buy Vanguard assets
• Follow the Hiawatha trail
• Museums share near-death experiences
• Falling rates attract leaf peepers
• Top celebrity hotel hangouts
• Congress moves to further tighten aviation security
• Follow the Hiawatha trail
• Museums share near-death experiences
• Falling rates attract leaf peepers
• Places to develop a crush on grapes
• Places to get bug-eyed

• Endings: Delta will end daily non-stop service between Atlanta and Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Final flights south will run Nov. 30, and the last return flights will run Dec. 1.
• New service: American Airlines will add a second daily flight to London Heathrow on Oct. 27. On Nov. 1, the airline will begin daily service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
• Service suspended: British Airways will suspend daily service between Charlotte and London beginning Oct. 27. Customers with reservations will be offered a full refund or bookings on other British Airways flights

BEST FARES

• Things To Do In Atlanta
• A Public Service Announcement From Your Dog
• Pointers To Guide You To The Cruise That's Right For You
• 10 Tips For Safer Use Of Wireless Phones While Driving
• Tell American Airlines A Top Travel Story And Win A Prize
• Travel Surcharge Surveillance

• FAA/SECURITY:  The Senate Commerce Committee last week approved legislation to exempt more than three dozen airports, including some of the nation's largest, from a December 31 deadline for scanning all checked luggage for explosives. The House this summer passed a related bill that would extend the deadline by one year for all airports. Most of the nation's airports are expected to meet the existing deadline, but the Transportation Security Administration estimates that as many as 35 to 40 will not. The current law sets no penalties for missing the deadline, which has been the target of intense lobbying by airports. Unless an extension becomes law, a Dallas/Ft. Worth spokesman claimed, the result would be "long lines to check bags, mass disruption of the nation's aviation system and further damage to the U.S. economy." The Senate measure also would remove a ban on non-U.S. citizens working as airport security screeners. (From Skyguide)
• Please, Not Another Bailout:  Is anyone surprised that the troubled airline industry is asking for more government help? After weeks of behind-the-scenes lobbying, the airlines are now expected to formally request billions of dollars in additional tax breaks and subsidies at a Congressional hearing. But it's the quietness with which the airline chiefs and their handsomely-paid lobbyists are petitioning our elected representatives that is troubling. >> Read the whole story .
• Zip Canada's newest low fare airline

• AA to debut East Coast shuttle  
• New Englanders Brace for Tourism

• Report: US Airways Gets $240 Million Offer
• US Airways Exec Criticizes Delta
• American Adds Flights in Northeast
• World's Airlines Expect Profits in 2003
• Boeing Faces Air Travel Slump

• 'American Community' on display
• Midwest Express, union resume talks
• VW theme park a Bug-lover's dream
• New England braces for autumn travel
• Senate may ease some bag deadlines
• San Francisco: Disabled artist's vision
• FAA: 157 airspace violations
• Denver airport employee bust
• Discount airline planned for S Korea resort
• Fast ferry to boost Rochester, Toronto
• A Trip to the Corner Store
• The Black Forest meets Venezuela
• The great houses of Chaco Canyon
• Part of Cincinnati/Kentucky airport evacuated
• Survey: Business travel will pick up with economy
• 28 airport workers arrested in Houston
• Rail link reunites Koreas  

• Exhibit honors Vietnam POWs
• Leaf-peepers heading to New England
• Committee moves to tighten security
• Winter programs at Yellowstone
• From Russia, with gloves
• The airlines hit a new low
• New destinations for Afghan airline
• Bill would let airports miss deadline
• WP: Magical time for special garden
• Bug off to new theme park attraction
• Afghan hotel must battle back
• MSNBC welcomes a new partner

• Buying travel online: More protection, but...
• Visiting an old friend in Skagway

GOOD TO KNOW!
www.dreamofitaly.com
Dream of Italy is a new bi-monthly newsletter edited and published by Kathy McCabe, a travel editor and columnist for USATODAY.com. The Italian travel
and culture newsletter is aimed at an audience with discriminating tastes. Among the articles in her first issue, McCabe writes about Terme di Saturnia, Tuscany's famous spa; Actividayz, a unique day trip program in Italy; and Washington D.C.'s '2 Amys', one of only 5 Neapolitan-certified pizzerias in the U.S. You can download a free sample of the first issue at the Dream of Italy Web site, www.dreamofitaly.com . One-year subscriptions will cost $45 by mail and $35 via the Internet. 
 

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