Culture, maui, Travel

Orchid Show at the Maui County Fair

This year’s Maui County Fair, to be held October 2 to October 5, 2008, promises an all new orchid show put on by the Maui Orchid Society. If the idea of change frightens some, the Fair also promises to offer most of its other popular attractions, including the local favorite, deep fried twinkies.

With travel to the islands slumping, now is a good time to start planning a getaway to the Maui that includes a trip to its unique County Fair. Room rates and interisland fares are starting to dip and availability is good, making a trip to Maui more affordable than its been in a while.

For example, a room at the no-frills Maui Beach Hotel, which is walking distance to fair grounds, offers a nightly rate during the fair of $117 for a standard room. The Hawaii Superferry offers interisland transport for $59 each way from Honolulu.

For more details about the new orchid show at this year’s fair, see my article in the current issue of Hana Hou!.

Lifestyle, Random, Travel

Compare Airline Checked Baggage Fees

Nearly all of the major airlines have followed United’s lead and implemented fees for checked baggage. Here is a helpful table comparing the various baggage fees from kayak.com. The table also includes fee information for meals, pets, unaccompanied minor service, and what it costs for extra legroom.

Among all the airlines, the most common fee structure for checked baggage is one free checked bag, $25 for a second checked bag, and $50 for a third checked bag. But the fees vary: American charges $15 for the first bag; Delta charges $50 for a second bag; and British Airways doesn’t charge at all.

If you think you can avoid checked baggage fees by carrying on your luggage, think again. On all international flights that use London’s Heathrow Airport, for example, carry-on luggage is strictly limited to one bag that weighs less than 20 pounds. Domestic carriers are increasingly enforcing their own carry-on rules in order to force customers to check baggage (and thus pay their fees).

Besides shipping your luggage ahead or traveling with just your toothbrush, becoming a frequent flier with at least the first tier of status is the only good way at this point to beat the fees. On nearly every airline, the fees for checked baggage are waived for frequent fliers (see previous post on how to “Avoid United’s $25 for a Second Checked Bag”).

Politics

Obama Rally on O’ahu, Hawaii

Obamapalooza? That’s what some have called his recent world-wind trip, which winds down this week with a visit to his elderly mother, who lives on O’ahu. This afternoon he is holding a free public rally at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park, which is near the airport (map). Doors open at 12:30 pm. According to the website, hawaiiforabama.org, admission is on a first-come, first-serve basis. No one has said when he or Michelle will appear. But if you haven’t heard him speak in person before, this is a great opportunity.

If you’ve never been to Keehi Lagoon Beach Park, it’s basically a big, grassy field that runs into a beach. There are public showers and toilets, but there is very limited shade. That part of O’ahu bakes all the day in hot sun, so if you’re going to the rally, bring at the very least a broad-rimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and plenty of water. If you have a small shade tent and some beach chairs, even better.

By the way, the size of Hawaii’s Democratic Party has doubled based on the strength of his candidacy. So you might want to get to Keehi Lagoon as early as possible.