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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

5 things that should be in your COVID-19 travel contingency plan


Photo by David Slotnick/The Points Guy


5 things that should be in your COVID-19 travel contingency plan
 Caroline Tanner
Yesterday
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When it comes to international travel during COVID-19, you need a backup plan — and a backup for your backup plan. It’s not just us here at TPG saying this, either. The U.S. Department of State says you need one, too.

As the omicron variant spreads worldwide, the State Department noted that international travelers might face “unexpected challenges” related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans, the agency said, should have a contingency plan for instances such as having to remain in a foreign country for an extended period.

“U.S. citizens who choose to travel internationally should be aware that they may face unexpected challenges related to COVID-19 as they attempt to return to the United States or attempt to travel from one overseas location to another,” the agency wrote on its website on Dec. 30. 

But when it comes time to actually assemble a contingency plan, what should be in it? Here’s what you need to consider before your next international trip.

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IN THIS POST
Plan ahead for everything, including border closures
Consider travel insurance that covers COVID-19 related costs
Think about your flights and book with flexibility
Know the COVID-19 rules of the country you’re visiting
Diversify your points and miles
Bottom line
Plan ahead for everything, including border closures

(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Although many countries have reopened, others have closed once again, changed entry and exit rules, or added restrictions on movement without warning.

For example, while the Netherlands didn’t completely shut down for travel, it announced a strict lockdown a week before Christmas to contain a significant surge of the new COVID-19 omicron variant. All nonessential stores, bars and restaurants are closed until at least Jan. 14.

On the more extreme side of things, a country might also abruptly close to noncitizen international travelers while you’re there. 

That was the case with Israel, which announced it would resume its ban on international tourists in late November. The new travel rules went into effect the next day, meaning non-Israeli citizens had less than one day to figure out how to get home. (Israel is mulling reopening to citizens of certain countries, but U.S. citizens are still barred from entry.)

While it may seem excessive, it’s good to have an exit strategy in place should you need to leave a destination quickly.

TPG’s director of travel content, Summer Hull, recalled having to act quickly when the U.K. reentry rules changed in early December. Hull said she had to consider the possibility of further challenges getting back to the U.S., all while dealing with an eight-hour time difference.

“When we left for Europe, I’d never heard the word omicron, but while we were in London and then in the Finnish Arctic, things started to happen quickly,” Hull said.

“While we didn’t overreact, we did stay more closely attuned to the news and even had a friend on standby during U.S. waking hours in case the U.S. rules changed dramatically, and he could then rebook our flights home for the next day while we were sleeping,” she said. 

“Ultimately, that wasn’t needed, so the only alteration we made was to spend our final night back in the U.K. at a Heathrow Airport hotel instead of heading back into the heart of London. This allowed us to be an arm’s distance from some of the quickest and most available testing sites, just in case.”

Consider travel insurance that covers COVID-19 related costs
ANKARA, TURKEY - AUGUST 28: Samples of PCR tests are seen at Yildirim Beyazit University Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital in Ankara, Turkey on August 28, 2021. Molecular microbiology laboratory works hard to finalize the PCR tests, which is the most critical stage in the diagnosis of Covid-19. (Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
(Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Travelers should also have a clear plan if they test positive while abroad. The State Department notes that travelers may have to remain in a foreign country longer than initially planned, “which will be at their own expense.”

The State Department recommends Americans purchase international travel insurance with coverage for coronavirus-related trip cancellation and medical benefits. This kind of insurance would cover potentially pricey expenses such as testing and hotel accommodations if you had to quarantine. One easy way to find insurance that covers COVID-19 costs is by using insurance marketplace websites such as InsureMyTrip or Squaremouth.

“In general, Medicare and Medicaid do not cover overseas medical costs,” the agency wrote on its website, a reminder that traveling during the pandemic can get expensive quickly if you aren’t prepared.

Related: TPG’s comprehensive guide to independent travel insurance — including coronavirus coverage

Many standard travel insurance plans do not cover COVID-19 and related disruptions (such as costs associated with quarantine or testing), nor are they covered by the trip cancellation and interruption insurance offered by many credit cards. 

“Typically, cards that come with travel insurance won’t cover COVID-19 since it’s a pandemic or otherwise known event, but it’s always best practice to read the benefits guide to ensure that this isn’t an exclusion,” TPG credit cards writer Stella Shon said. “In that case, most travelers should buy additional travel insurance that doesn’t exclude COVID-19.”

Travelers should also know exactly where they would be required to quarantine if they get a positive COVID-19 test, either on arrival or while they’re in the country.

A positive test can mean simply hunkering down in your hotel room or Airbnb with Netflix and a bowl of soup for 10 days in some destinations. But in others, such as Hong Kong, travelers who test positive on arrival are transferred to hospitals for isolation, and their close contacts are sent to quarantine.

Before leaving home, travelers should double-check a specific country’s quarantine rules to see if quarantine is restricted to certain hotels or if you’ll be forced to stay at a facility. 

Also, note that most independent travel medical insurances do not usually include emergency evacuation coverage, meaning you would be stuck quarantining in a foreign country.

If you want to ensure you can be transported to your home base to quarantine should you test positive, consider purchasing a COVID-19 travel insurance membership plan from Covac Global, the only repatriation company with coverage that includes transporting members home upon testing positive without any hospitalization. Just be aware it’s pricey, as plans start at $175.

Related: This travel insurance will fly you home if you test positive for COVID-19 — here’s how it works

Think about your flights and book with flexibility

Photo by David Slotnick/The Points Guy
Travelers should also have a sense of the shortest route home and any alternate direct flights, should you unexpectedly need to change your flight.

“Always look up other flights that can get you home in case the first options get canceled or changing rules mean you can’t connect in the city you thought you were going to,” says TPG’s director of travel news and features content, Andrea Rotondo.

Americans traveling internationally in the coming days may also want to think about flying direct and avoiding connections if possible. In recent weeks, thousands of flights into, out of or within the U.S. have been canceled due to staffing issues linked to the omicron variant and as a winter storm slammed into the mid-Atlantic.

Book with flexible options, says booking platform Hopper, which allows travelers to add a “cancel or change for any reason” insurance policy upfront and then cancel or change their plans down the line, up to 24 hours before departure.

“When traveling abroad, we recommend booking plans with flexibility,” Hopper economist Adit Damodaran told TPG via email.

Hopper also offers a flight rebooking guarantee to help travelers avoid any hiccups with traveling internationally, whether due to weather, flight changes or delays.

“If your trip is delayed, your airline cancels your flight or you miss your connecting flight, you can instantly rebook the next flight to their destination directly in the Hopper app from the airport, no matter the airline, at no additional cost,” said Damodaran. 

“Add in a buffer to your travel dates — try to bake some flexibility into your schedule if you can, especially when traveling abroad,” Damodaran continued. “It’s always a good idea to buffer an extra day or so, in case there are disruptions to your trip to ensure you can make it to your destination on time.”

Know the COVID-19 rules of the country you’re visiting

(Photo by Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)
Entry and exit rules as they pertain to COVID-19 vary by country. In addition to reading our country reopening guide, do as much research as you can in advance to ensure you satisfy all requirements related to pre-arrival, arrival and departure measures.

“Make sure you’re familiar with the travel guidelines in place and prepared to meet the COVID-19 policies at your destination as well as the requirements to return to your home destination in advance of any international travel,” said Damodaran.

“For instance, make sure you’re traveling with proof of vaccination, COVID-19 test results and have a clear understanding of what will be needed for your flight, hotel stay and at the destination when you arrive – particularly if you’re planning to travel internationally as each country’s guidelines differ.”

Also, check to make sure that you have downloaded any specific apps that the country you are headed to may require, whether for contact tracing purposes or for uploading COVID-19-related documents.

Diversify your points and miles
tourist backpacker visiting a city in southeast asia. (Photo by Pascal Kiszon/Getty Images)
(Photo by Pascal Kiszon/Getty Images)
TPG credit card editor Juan Ruiz suggests travelers have an array of airline miles and transferable points and miles currency in their travel arsenal.

“That way, you can redeem for backup flights if your original or even first backup flight goes astray,” Ruiz says.

TPG also always suggests booking with miles for international travel as it will usually provide more flexibility around changing or canceling flights. Also, make it a habit to know the other airlines operating the routes if you need to book last-minute on another airline.

“The first thing I do when I’m traveling is seeing who else flies where I’m going just in case something goes sideways,” said TPG senior news editor Clint Henderson. He said, “I keep a stash of various airline and hotel points in my accounts as backup, so if I get stuck somewhere, I have other options to get home or stay overnight.”

Henderson also suggests keeping an eye on Twitter, where he says he usually first sees when countries, cities or governments change the rules.

Bottom line
Having a plan A and B is no longer sufficient — you really need a plan C and D.

“You need all the backup plans to leave the country right now,” says TPG’s Summer Hull. “You need backup plans for testing, quarantining and getting home ASAP if rules start going bananas.”

Additional reporting by Victoria M. Walker

Featured photo by Iryna Veklich/Getty Images.

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Caroline Tanner covers news and travel for TPG. She is a journalism graduate of Mizzou and Northwestern.

3 simple things to remember to do before going through TSA screening Here’s what you need to remember to do the next time you go through TSA security screening.

Monday, January 3, 2022

We wait for you with todooooo 2022

Te esperamos con todooooo 2022 Primero Dios si nos da Salud y Fuerzas para seguir ahí en el agua representando .
(Lo mejor de lo mejor para todos , que todos sus planes y proyectos se cumplan )
.


Travel Clothes That Do Double Duty »

Travel Clothes That Do Double Duty
 
 
 
Travel Clothes That Do Double Duty »

2.13 Live from Zipolite Ride It Good: Adventures from the Last Society and culture


2.13 Live from Zipolite Ride It Good: Aventuras desde el Último - Apple Podcasts
Este episodio es como la putiplaya del amorts, corto y dulce.



 

2.13 Live from Zipolite Ride It Good: Adventures from the Last

    • Society and culture

This episode is like the putiplaya of amorts, short and sweet.

Aloha Carr Carter is with Billy Carter. Yesterday at 8:11 AM · New Years Eve beach walk at least till 9pm. Can't remember after that. 🤣🤣😂 Happy New Year to family and friends. Now on to 2022!

 









Beautiful sunrise in Punta Cometa, Mazunte... so quiet, fresh and colorful, a sign of light. 🧡

Bonito el amanecer en Punta Cometa, Mazunte... tan tranquilo, fresco y colorido, una señal de luz. 🧡


GLOBAL PARTY MIX - MARCH 2021 by DJSantarosa

 


Toma Reggaeton Episode 005 by DJSantarosa

 


Scott's Cheap Flights: Why You Should Book Summer Flights Now

 From: Scott's Cheap Flights <hello@mail.scottscheapflights.com>

Sent: Monday, January 3, 2022 6:36 AM
 

Six months ago, I wrote you a simple piece of advice: it was the ideal time to book your winter holiday flights.

Now, as winter approaches, I’m back with the same (opposite?) advice: it’s time to book those summer flights.
🔄 For peak travel periods, always book opposite season
When do swimsuits get discounted? In the winter.

When do jackets get discounted? In the summer.

It’s the same with flights.

If you wait to make summer travel plans until April or May—the time when everyone else is making their summer travel plans—airfare is almost certainly going to be expensive.

Instead, now is when cheap summer flights are much more likely to pop up.

So when that New Year’s ball is dropping, that’s when you should be thinking about summer flights. And when you’re at a July 4th barbecue next summer, that’s when you should be thinking about winter holiday flights.
⌛ Further-out bookings produce the most joy
One of the most interesting things I learned while researching Take More Vacations was the way travel actually brings us joy.

We think of vacation as something we only enjoy during the trip itself.

But if you dig into the research, it turns out we get as much if not more joy before a trip, daydreaming about sipping cocktails on the beach or perusing weekend markets. Anticipation is a hell of a drug.

When does a trip become real in our minds? Not when we first imagine it or even when we start researching it. A trip becomes real the moment we book flights—that’s when it starts bringing us joy.

While few people today are thinking about travel next summer, I think that’s exactly what you should do if you want cheap flights and more happiness. Treat your future self and your today self by having a trip to look forward to.
⏰ Goldilocks Windows
Perhaps the question I’m asked more than any other is when to book flights in order to get the cheapest fare.

While there’s no precise, predictable time when every flight is cheapest—”Tuesday at 1pm” is a myth, as is “exactly 67 days prior to travel”—the best strategy is relying on Goldilocks Windows. Those windows are when cheap fares are most likely to pop up.

For domestic trips, the Goldilocks Window for when you’re most likely to see a cheap flight is 1-3 months before flying. For international flights, it’s 2-8 months in advance.

If you’re hoping to travel during a peak time like middle of summer or around New Year’s, though, you’ll need to add a few months. The easiest way to remember? Always book opposite season.

And yes, we’re already sending our members some sweet deals with summer availability, like Iceland from $393 roundtripBrazil from $639 roundtrip in premium economy, and Paris from $2,093 roundtrip in business class.

Remember that many airlines are still waiving changes for fares above basic economy, so you can make plans in pencil now, and stay flexible up until your travel dates.

Have you already started booking for summer 2022? Let me know on twitter.

Love,
Scott