Who is going to be booking travel for shows etc… in the near
future?
Is there someone you use in particular always, as in a travel agent,
or do you make arrangements yourself?
What was your best and your worst experience traveling when it comes
to jewelry?
Thanks,
Keith (AKA MadJeweler)
http://madjeweler.smugmug.com
I will, for the second year, be doing a fair amount of flying to
teach this year. I don’t use a travel agent-- in fact, I often use
Priceline.com and “bid” for lower fares and hotel rates. This can
save a good amount of money, but there are drawbacks. You can end up
with a hotel that isn’t exactly where you would prefer, or a flight
at an awkward time-- you cannot choose the time, so you must be able
to fly any time on a given day.
My best experience was managing to get a room in the exact complex
where the event I was teaching at took place, for less than half the
special rate for instructors ($55/nt vs $120)-- and my room had a
whirlpool.
It appears to me that these days, the prices for flights are exactly
the same everywhere (all the different on-line sites, that is) and
Priceline is the only way to do any better. If someone has a better
way, I sure would be happy to hear about it, as I will be setting uo
6 or more trips in the next month or so (including SNAG).
It just occurred to me-- did you just mean experience about hauling
jewelry with you? So far, my carry-on with jewelry in it has never
been questioned, though I’ve never flown with my whole inventory.
Noel
Is there someone you use in particular always, as in a travel agent, or do you make arrangements yourself?
Personally I get my daughter to do the booking for me and pay her a
finder’s fee. She’s a whiz kid with a computer. She recommends you
start with kayak.com, then take the top results of three airlines and
go to their sites to get an even lower fare. You should book 6 weeks
in advance for the best fares, with the most flexibility in the
arrangements.
What was your best and your worst experience traveling when it comes to jewelry?
You don’t wanna know what the worst experience has been. Everyone in
the family swears I have a gremlin firmly attached to my shoulder
when traveling. It must be the little old gray-haired lady thing I
seem to have going on. Can’t profile, see pull out the least
threatening person you can find–every cotton’ pickin’ time I fly.
Then there’s the blown tires, flooding hotel room, collapsing ceiling
in a restaurant, lightning striking the vehicle, can’t find the keys
for the showcases (they were tucked in my bra), fainting on the
showroom floor, trying to unlock a vehicle that looked just like
mine, ad nauseum. Nobody travels with me if they can avoid it. Sigh.
However, when it came to the last time I had to fly with my jewelry,
I talked to an ATA guy. Arrive early, just in case there’s a problem.
He told me to put all my jewelry into my carry-on bag, preferably in
one container, in one place that was easily accessible when the
baggage was opened. Pack my tools in my checked baggage. Carry a
business card with me, along with any documentation about what I
would be doing, like brochures of the event, preferably with my name
or the company name listed, in easily accessible folders. One folder
for the carry-on and one for the checked baggage with tools. Mark the
folders with “ATA documentation”. If asked to have an inspection of
the luggage, to hand my business card to them and ask for a private
screening. Worked well this last time, except the brass buttons on my
shirt set off the metal detector. It took a while to figure it out.
Eventually I had to take off my shirt, but fortunately I had a shell
on underneath, so it wasn’t too embarrassing.
He did warn me if I did any etching workshops with ferric nitrate, I
needed to pack up any clothing, shoes, aprons, etc. that was worn
during the workshop and mail them home. Hope I didn’t get any on my
skin. Apparently the ferric nitrate will set off the bomb sniffing
things. Joy. I wonder if I’ll be hauled off to the hoosegow?
Bring a smile, a soft voice and plenty of patience. Don’t grump.
I use a travel agent to book flights…it seems I can get a better
price than through a travel web site.
As far as traveling with jewelry for the show, I haven’t had any
problems. I have one case dedicated to the jewelry and if they ask to
see it, I ask for a private area so the other travelers don’t see
what’s in the case.
Holly
Apparently the ferric nitrate will set off the bomb sniffing things. Joy. I wonder if I'll be hauled off to the hoosegow?
Here’s another thing that sets off the drug sniffer - cat pee.
Yup. I had a bag that consistently “alerted” the sniffer, so it had
to be completely unpacked and searched. After about the third time, I
sniffed it myself… there was a faint odor of cat pee. I recalled a
visit to an elderly aunt who had two cats. They thoroughly
investigated my luggage during my visit and I knew at least one had
marked it. Even though I’d washed the bag down, the pee must have
sunk into crevices.
Just thought you’d want to know.
Judy in Kansas, who really does like cats - even those who have bad
habits.
Apparently the ferric nitrate will set off the bomb sniffing things. Joy. I wonder if I'll be hauled off to the hoosegow?
Might I suggest not feeding your plants before you fly either? I fed
the plants, then played with my brand new Nikon. Then off we went to
catch a flight. Boy, did they ever put my husband (who was carrying
the camera case) thru the wringer when we went thru security, we were
pulled aside and a big man emerged from the back room and stood with
his arms crossed looking cross! as Mike was thoroughly searched, and
the camera body and every lens were swabbed and inspected. Then, his
name was entered into a little black book. hmmm. We still laff about
that.
Lainie