7. March 2010 by Andy.

The Itinerary. Well, it started big, really big: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Jakarta, New Dehli, Istanbul, Cairo, Amman, Venice, Zurich, Geneva, Strasbourg, Bruges, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, London, New York, Mexico City, Rio De Janeiro, Johannesburg, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, Nadi, Papeete, Honolulu, Los Angeles. For Practical and of course budgetary reasons, I have identified and booked two more manageable itineraries, each of which I’m completing in around 18 days.

Itinerary 1: San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cairo (via Dubai), Istanbul, Venice, Zurich, Strasbourg, Bruges, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Washington DC then back to home base in Portland, Oregon. I was shooting for landmark value, cultural diversity and scenic diversity, and I believe I have just what I am looking for with this first itinerary. It’s compact, manageable, affordable and exciting!

Just a couple of days/nights in each location might not be enough for many people, but for me, well, I’m on a deadline, and I do a lot of advance planning, particularly with regard to landmark locations, hotel locations and view/photographic opportunities. As I’ve stated, my goal is primarily to capture and experience diverse cultures and sights. I have used Priceline.com, Expedia.com and TripAdvisor.com as well as Google Maps® to help me make my decisions on where to shoot, where to stay and where to visit during my short stays. These tools provide you so much information, it does help to have some goals or benchmarks in mind.

We’ll talk about hotels first. I am on a budget, but not restricting myself to the cheapest, more focusing on a middle ground balance of cost, convenience (location), and potential view. My checklists include available Internet access (free being a bonus), balcony or view, roof garden/pool/terrace, and last of all, trying to keep said choices to just under the $200 (US) per night mark. With all those considered, then it’s on to TripAdvisor to digest guest reviews of shortlisted hotels that meet the criteria. Interestingly, one of the most difficult places to make my decision has been paris. there are thousands of hotel choices, and as a result, many that meet my criteria fall way down the list of traveler reviews. I’m still working on that!

Next Post: A complete list of hotel choices, and reasons why, which, while I travel, I can compare with the TripAdvisor Reviews, and write my own and see how they stack up. Happy travels!

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27. February 2010 by Andy.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

- Lao Tsu

I couldn’t agree more! So where do you start? For me, it started with the idea, the inspiration to circumnavigate the globe. No, nothing so adventurous as single-handed on a small yacht, or on foot or motorcycle. Planes, trains and automobiles for me!It started about 4 years ago when I first visited Fiji — I hadn’t intended to visit there, I was en-route to Sydney, Australia and got a free stopover with AirPacific - Fiji’s national airline. Seemed worth a visit. 20 minutes after landing in Nadi, I was standing up to my ankles in warm South Pacific waters on the beach in front of my hotel thinking, wow, I gotta do this again!

What a perfect trip that was, a fantastic experience that made me vow to do more of the same. So here I am about 4 years later, with the first major step of my round the world trip done: I have booked my flights.But, to backtrack a little, the idea for the trip came to me while building SpinFirst.com - my goal with SpinFirst is to get people excited to travel, to encourage thought, action and discussion. Well, it had that affect on me. So I spun my way around the world, making lists of routes I could take, and more importantly, places I wanted to see. SO the real first step is RESEARCH! All capital letters that one.

Do I go left or right (clockwise or anticlockwise)? what’s the longest I want to get stuck on a plane? Can I avoid long hauls? The simple answer for me was to go wherever you have been meaning to go for ages first, and build from there. I used a number of web sites for strategizing the trips, some of which actually specialize in round the world itineraries and ticketing. I tried using Expedia’s multi-destination booker, but that doesn’t work beyond a finite amount of destinations, and neither do airline bookers, so really, you gotta pick up the phone!I wanted it easy, I tried one cool site AirTreks.com that allowed me to click my route around the world and actually generate an estimate — and connections — for that itinerary. Nice.

I also tried another that helped me review my itinerary and make it more efficient after a few emails. Also very, very helpful. However, both these sites operated exclusively via cash or wire transfer. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust them, I simply didn’t have the cash to outlay, I manage my credit cards, and have kept room on them specifically for trips like this. So, I contacted a local travel agent. I felt that such a momentous trip (for me, anyway!) needed a personal touch, and though I love the ease of online shopping, sometimes you just gotta talk to somebody. It helped a lot, I whittled my trip down to a manageable 16 days, and believe I have put together a really efficient, diverse, and exciting itinerary.

Now, it’s on to the details, and, you guessed it, more research!!

Details, Details, Details!

Again with the backtracking, I mentioned earlier about the clockwise/anticlockwise thing. Which is easier? Which is better? Apparently (in my limited internet research on this) there isn’t much of a difference so I just worked out an itinerary that took into account fairly efficient travel routes — no backtracking while flying!–and got me where I wanted to go. Now, with the itinerary in hand (San Francisco - Hong Kong - New Delhi - Cairo - Istanbul - Venice - Europe by Train - Return from Paris.

I have a list of 35 cities/regions I want to visit, but I’m on limited time and budget and have decided to split my global travels into two or three itineraries. My priorities in picking destinations was first major landmarks and photographic opportunities, and second diversity of culture and scenery. There’s a lot more places I wish to see, but the above list really takes care of a lot of my dream trips. I’ll discuss my research on each of the destinations in detail in future blogs, and, once I’m on the road, will blog updates as often as possible, and pictures, too.More soon!

What’s in the Bag?

I want to cover some - important to me - planning items that I’ve been working on. My Round the World Itinerary is taking place during spring, so, in Europe, I need to pack for moderate temperatures, but the Cairo and Asia Stops (Hong Kong & Singapore) could be quite hot (around 100 in Cairo) and also quite wet and humid, particularly in Singapore. So, with around 16 days to cover, I have to seriously consider what I’m taking, how I am taking it and what to leave behind.

1. The Luggage, apparel and equipment. I chose the Victorinox Werks 2.0 Traveler which I purchased locally from Portland Luggage. Great online store, too. The one shown in the link is a backpack version, mine is a combination shoulder bag with hidden backpack straps. It is seriously roomy, yet I was able to carry this one on throughout a recent trip to Zurich and back. The luggage was the perfect choice for me, it’s compact and expands to fit plenty of stuff, including laptop, camera equipment and tripod. I made a conscious choice to avoid wheeled luggage, I had bought a wheeled roll-aboard before the Victorinox choice, but it weighed almost four pounds empty, which is great if all you are doing is wandering around airports, but my trips often involve trains, planes and automobiles and plenty of urban walking (we’ll talk about walking tours later!), and a major factor for me is trying to not look like a tourist, I like to fit in, be invisible, just another guy walking through the city.

So rolling luggage wasn’t for me, though Victorinix does have some great selections in that line. So I’ve got my perfect carry on. I also am taking a BED STU Guarner Messenger Bag, which, while flying, stuffs nicely into the larger carry-on, and, while on walking tours and photographic expeditions, provides an excellent and not so obvious camera and tripod bag. I must note here that on my last trip to Zurich, I carried a small tabletop tripod and my Olympus PEN EP-1, and never needed the messenger bag, as it was winter and I had my raincoat pockets to carry everything I needed — Very handy to have a good raincoat, though this trip I am packing more optimistically with a couple of light waterproofs, and a lot of layers, seems like a good plan (we’ll find out soon enough!). A further note on the camera gear, I have considered taking my Nikon D-90, but on previous trip, got excellent results with the PEN and don’t think I will need anything else, though I am trying to find a backup camera, same model, just in case my existing one gets damaged or otherwise.

Best Travel Tripod. The tripod choice caused me some grief. I have an excellent Manfrotto 709 Digi Tabletop tripod with extension tube and ball head. It breaks down for easy packing and weighs just a few ounces. However, there are some situations that I believe I will need a larger tripod for, where tables, walls or other surfaces are not available. I have done a lot of research on travel tripods and have narrowed it down to a few solid choices, such as the Cullman 2722 Magic Tripod, or the Cullman Compact Tripod, but neither seem perfectly suited for me. After further research, I’ve come up with what I think is a winner in the lightweight travel tripod department: The Slik Mini II Tripod with Ball Head. It’s light, weighing less than 2 pounds, extends to over 40 inches and collapses to less than 14. The ball had I prefer through experience, it is quicker to deploy and set up/lock, and, I’ve found, less prone to loosening and breakage over time. Also offers a quick release, very handy. The choice is made, and now it’s tested, I love it. It’s shorter than my full size tripod, but the weight is perfect, so I can carry it in a small messenger back unobtrusively and for it’s size, it’s nice and solid. I recommend it!

Next, of course is the clothing. Here’s what I’m planning so far: 1 dozen custom-designed SpinFirst.com T-Shirts. 4 pairs lightweight khakis, two pairs heavier cotton for Europe. One Linen/cotton blend blazer, two decent shirts, couple of long sleeved polos/t-shirts and assorted socks/underwear. On my last trip, I packed a little light, but picked up some deals along the way, and plan to do the same if I am missing anything really useful, oh yes, a couple of water-resistant atheltic tops/vests should do the trick. I have one hat for hot weather, one for rain. I’d like to pack 3, but they will be crushed in the packing anyway, so may have to replace the paper one while on the road. I am also bringing 2 dozen inflatable SpinFirst.com globe beach balls. I figure I can give them away to anyone that wants one, and maybe leave a few strategically at hotel pools along the way! We’ll see.

2. The Hotels. I have a benchmark I try to stick with, whether for business or leisure travel. In most of the destinations I am traveling to, you can spend anywhere from $25 to $1,000 or more a night on a hotel. What fits your budget? What’s your wish list/must have list for hotels? My ideals are great view - or great location close to a view, roofgarden or rooftop poll (for more photographic opportunities!), Internet availability (free being a bonus) and location - close to popular attractions, but also somewhat quiet. Budget is a serious consideration, but I try to keep around $150 - $250 a night tops, that way I can stay in either reputable or more familiar chains, or, in some places, actually afford luxury-level accommodation.

My selections so far:
Hong Kong: Courtyard Marriott
Singapore: Marina Mandarin
Cairo: Mena House, Giza
Istanbul: Lady Diana Hotel
Venice: Hotel American Dinesen
Zurich: TBD
Bruges: Martin’s Relais Oud Huis Amsterdam (Amsterdam’s part of the name, not location).
London: Marriott County Hall
Paris: TBD

The rest I’m still working on. Full details and selections soon! All the above have been selected primarily for view (some of these offer scenic city/monument views from room or rooftop garden/restaurant, ideal for undisturbed timelapse photography). Equal consideration to the view potential was location, each is very well placed in the heart of areas I want to experience, and with easy access to all their respective cities have to offer.

APRIL 17 UPDATE: I made a fairly big change in my plans today. Based on recent major disruptions to European travel schedules, I thought it prudent to actually book my train trip. Originally, I was planning to figure out my route to London and Paris (for return flight to U.S.) as I went, having the freedom to choose wherever I feel like going. However, due to the sheer volume of backlog that will be rebooking itself over the next few weeks, I noticed that hotels and some trains were starting to fill up quickly. So I booked it. It’s a commitment, but it has helped me figure out where in Europe I’m going, I’ve been procrastinating on that, mostly because I can, but it seemed smart to book these things at this stage so I have something to go on if travel disruptions continue or return there.

I don’t have much room to really change these plans, flights, trains, hotels or otherwise, but I am currently making some contingency plans so that if I have to change something, I can do it with a little less hassle than with forward planning. I’m not too concerned, after all, this is an adventure — though I’d prefer an adventure outside of airports!

Less that two weeks to go, getting excited here!

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31. January 2010 by Andy.

OK, there’s only about 196 or so countries out there, but that’s plenty to explore!

SpinFirst.com is here to help you find your way — It’s not a comprehensive travel guide, there’s a lot of great information out there and we’re here to help you first, find ideas, and second, to find that information.We have links to the best booking engines (expedia, priceline, hotels.com and more) and you can book hotels and flights right here anytime and get the same great deals you get at those sites, because that’s who we believe offers the best deals — and the most reliability.

We’re also here to talk about travels. Our travels. Your travels. Inspirational journeys. Amazing adventures. They all start with a spin of the globe, so get spinning, and get traveling!

We’ll be posting daily - or as often as we can - quotes on travel, inspiring travel, inspired by travel, because we love to travel and our goal is to get people excited about travel again. Period.We believe that when people travel, they gain perspective, and are able to return home with a fresh appreciation of not just the greater world, but their own local world, too.We’re here to encourage to switch off that TV set (unless you’re watching travel documentaries!), drop the remote, pack up the iPad, iPhone or NetBook and Smart Phone and get out there and travel and Tweet, Blog or Share something different, from somewhere different, every day, every week!

Why? Because you can. When? Well, we’re going to start the first leg of our ‘Around The World with SpinFirst.com‘ Tour soon. Follow us on Twitter to find out more!

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”– Henry Miller

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29. January 2010 by Andy.

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

The world is a beautiful place, and we’re here to help you discover every fantastic inch of it! Okay, that’s a bit of a strong goal, but we are going to travel the world to encourage the world to travel. It’s exciting, it’s an adventure, and it starts right here at SpinFirst.com!

Our web site and blog are just launched, and we’re just getting starting compiling information, itineraries, travel guides and links to help you discover the world around you.
“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” – Jack Kerouac

Welcome to SpinFirst.com - Click. Spin. Go!
SpinFirst.com was set up to give you a cool way to find out more about places around the world, and find easy ways to get there.
We’ve made it easy, so SpinFirst, and Go Places! SpinFirst.com is designed with fun in mind, we may not have all the information, but what we have is up to date and easy to find. Discover your planet, and all the places you can go!
Make sure to sign up for our newsletter, email us at list@spinfirst.com, we’ll be adding save my locations, share my locations and other cool features as well as your own globe-spinning iPhone/iPad Application! Available soon.
Meanwhile, sit back, relax and take a spin, who knows where you’ll end up! Have fun! SpinFirst!

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