Next time you're in Dublin trying to get around the congested city center, just keep your eyes open for one of these brightly colored, blob shaped Ecocabs.
Looking like a hybrid golf cart and pedicab, the Ecocab is a pedal powered tricycle. They provide an easy green transportation option for making short distance trips through busy cities. (A battery back up is included, just in case the driver gets a little winded or encounters a big hill.)
The aerodynamic cab comfortably seats three passengers and is totally free. The service is sponsored by advertising, and all Ecocabs are wrapped with can't miss ads. The drivers are even dressed to match.
Ecocabs are also on the streets of Toronto, and full-fare versions are running in several other cities. In Dublin, the cabs run from 10 am to 7 pm, 7 days a week.
Homeboys may be on the way out of the Caribbean, but American Airlines is leaving with a bang. The carrier has put pretty much every destination in the region on sale, as long as you book by the end of this month.
We tried something simple to start, an early September round-trip between St. Maarten and Miami. AA is selling seats for $388, which is a steal compared to the $850 United is asking. Since the sale also covers Mexico, we tried NYC-Mexico City and dug up a fare of $526 all-in. That's the best rate going for the early September dates we used.
As with all airfare sales, sometimes you'll find great deals and other times it won't work out. Just remember: The money you save may go towards luggage fees if you overpack!
Although North Korea might be a tad risky for some, neighboring South Korea is a much friendlier destination--especially for students.
If you're still in college and can get your hands on an official student identity card like the ISIC card, South Korea wants you to visit--and the country's giving out all manner of discounts to entice you.
The new "Benefits of Korea" booklet gives info on cheap student prices for Korean rail passes plus discounts of up to 50 percent on museums, restaurants and accommodations. We like the sound of these benefits and are busily figuring out how to dummy up some fake student cards!
Everywhere we travel on our Internet adventures these days, we see articles about ways to save a buck on your next trip. Well, the island of Bonaire, in the Netherlands Antilles, has a new offer for both travelers and cheapskates. They're called Paradise Rebates.
Local businesses feel that you shouldn't have to pay luggage fees and surcharges, so they're offering rebates towards dining, accommodations, activities and vehicle rentals.
While the Tourism Corporation Bonaire didn't develop the discounts, the group is getting behind the effort, hoping to keep visitor numbers up while the economy is down. We're expecting to hear more from the island later this summer, too: As hurricane season ramps up, we wouldn't be surprised if the tourism board reminds us that the island sits outside of tropical storm range.
The airport internet provider we love to hate, Boingo, is giving away WiFi this holiday weekend. You'll only get 24 hours of free access before you have to pay, but hey, free stuff!
You'll have to download a program called GoBoingo from the company's website to get online, but it's not much of a hassle. After your free session is over, you can use the same program to reconnect to any Boingo-managed hotspot for $8 a day.
Given how prevalent those are in bigger airports, this could certainly come in handy over the long holiday weekend.
Megabus is riding high with new double-decker coaches and lots of new passengers thanks to $4-a-gallon gas. But is service on the super cheap bus up to snuff? Sort of!
One recent Megabus rider wasn't looking forward to her trip. Said an Ohio University student:
No one wants to take the bus, but driving and flying are so expensive.
Why wouldn't anyone want to roll Megabus style? Probably because of what another rider experienced:
The scene on 31st Street was TOTAL CHAOS. People lined up on the sidewalk for different destinations. We left about half an hour late, but smooth sailing the rest of the way, and I sat up front with no one next to me. The bus driver had NEVER driven to Boston before, so I had to help him out.
By now we shouldn't be shocked by any of the marketing Spirit Airlines puts out.
But the latest hype from the LCC isn't crude; it's just terribly hard to belive. Spirit says if you sign up for its new credit card, you'll get a free flight.
There probably will be, like, eight people who snag the free tickets. Us? We'd rather not read through pages of conditions to save $17.
Super-cheap coach line Megabus may not be as slick as BoltBus, but the company's about to introduce something pretty cool.
Megabus says they'll be the first outfit to offer double-decker rides between Boston and New York; the service is scheduled to start sometime in the next four months. As it turns out, folks in the Midwest have already tried the two-teired coaches. A St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter gave one a go in late May:
Except for a few bug splatters, my front row seat on the upper level of the double-decker Megabus gave me a sweeping view of the Missouri countryside. The guy sitting across from me, Dick Williams, agreed: "You get the panoramic view--it's the best seat in a thunderstorm."
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by Dan Gould
