Ask MetaFilter questions in the travel & transportation category

What is working in the Cayman Islands like?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:30:50 -0800

An amazing job opportunity has presented itself in the Cayman Islands. Any advice on living and working in their? My company (a very large multinational firm) has an excellent job opportunity, which I am very suited for, going in the Cayman Islands. Given a variety of other factors I think I'd have a very good chance of getting the job if I apply.

The pay would by approx $85-$90k USD (less than my current position, but only by $5k or so once less you factor in no income taxes in the Caymans). Additionally my country of origin does not require me to pay tax on any income I earn while living overseas - so that particular issue does not affect me.

My partner (we are married), who I am supporting as they complete their postgrad studies, would be coming with me, and we'd expect to be on just my salary for at least a year. My partner is a Commonwealth country trained and admitted lawyer, and they would try and pick up work once their studies are complete.

Neither of us are particularly fussed about material possessions or living the high life (we'd live in a tent if we could) - it's the possibility of living somewhere near nice white sandy beaches with warm swimable water, and without long drivetime commutes that really appeals (sorry SF/Bay Area - we love you, but you've been an epic fail on those points so far :-)

So what's the skinny? Is $85 to $90k USD comfortable living in the Caymans for a young couple? What's the quality of life really like when living and working there? What are the downsides? Any other thoughts?

_{(posting anonymously as I'm pretty sure at least one co-worker reads MEFI on a semi-regular basis and I'd like to keep the cat in the bag for now)}

Ugly headlights

kowboy — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:14:33 -0800

My truck is starting to get ugly cloudy headlights. What's a cheap inexpensive way to make them look new again?

I was just in a car accident and I need your advice on how to handle it.

sharkfu — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:54:30 -0800

I was just in a car accident and I need your advice on how to handle it. I'm a little shaken up and I live alone so I have no one to advise me on how to handle this.

While dropping my friend off at the airport, I approached a police checkpoint (just police cars and cones, not a parking structure with an arm that lowers) where two lanes merged into one to stop for ID Check. I was ahead of a parking shuttle van (privately company owned), 90% merged, and at a full stop as I waited for the two cars ahead of me at the checkpoint.

The parking shuttle, who I thought was just riding rather close because he was overly aggressive, didn't stop and dented/ scraped the left rear of my car with the right front of his van. I guess he didn't see me or he wasn't paying attention. It happens.

I pulled up to the checkpoint and the cop had me pull over. He said since there were no injuries no police report was needed. He did note that there was major paint transfer from his van to mine, but none from mine to his (does this prove I was stopped and he was the one moving up?).

I was shaken but it was really slow accident so it wasn't bad. We exchanged info, but he didn't have the insurance info in the van so I had follow him back to the parking office to get it.

That's where everything got crappy...

The owner and manager at the van place were complete jerks. I've been in accidents before and I always strive to make it amicable despite adrenaline and emotions. They didn't want to listen to my side of the story, claimed I was in the wrong lane and it was my fault, and talked about calling the cops. I told them I was fine with that. When we did exchange info, they photocopied my insurance card rather than writing down. When I asked if they could just photocopy theirs to save us time they said "that's not our problem". At one point I said, "You know this doesn't have to be adversarial, we can still be amicable" and they just grunted. They just generally made an unfortunate situation really crappy. I got the sense they were kinda shady jerks.

I don't like conflict or making things worse, so I'm honestly more shaken up by their attitude and behavior than the accident itself.

And here's the thing: 6 Months ago a guy rear-ended me. It was low speed, no damage was done. The guy was so nice and apologetic about it I told him to forget it. We didn't need to make claims. He even offered me cash and I turned him down. It's an older car and it's not in perfect shape so I didn't want to hassle either him or me.

If they had been nice to me I might have done the same this time. But they're behavior makes me want to be formal about it and teach them a lesson. But is this shooting myself in the foot? I think I have a $500 deductible--so it might not even been covered AND my rates might go up, right?

So is my desire to win overshadowing my own best interests?

Other minor details:

-98 Honda Civic, not in great condition

-Progressive insurance, customer for 9 years

- Picture: imagevenue link

-Could they claim whiplash or something (by one of the van passengers) and sue me?

-I really don't like that they have my address-- will they retaliate against me? I'm probably paranoid but they seemed like the kind of guys who could do that.

Mostly I just want this to go away, but I'm trying to fight through that to deal with it in the best way.

tips for navigating the myriad harbor

mezamashii — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:35:33 -0800

What's the simplest way to get from Sea-Tac airport to 1st/Seneca in downtown Seattle? I'm flying into Sea-Tac tomorrow evening, and have to pick up apartment keys at Harbor Steps (between Seneca and University). What's the easiest/cheapest way to make this trip? Taxi is basically out of the question. I saw that the metro RT 194/174 from the airport stops at university/4th, but not sure how doable this is with luggage or how crowded the bus may be.

Secondly... After I pick up my keys, I have to go down to 2400 4th Ave, which seems like quite a hike. Should I just suck it up and get a taxi for this leg, or is there some neat transit-fu I can do to hop down a dozen blocks?

How can I secure a room in Beijing during the Olympics?

borkingchikapa — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:17:32 -0800

I'm in Japan right now, but I have all of August off. I want to hang out in Beijing for a week or so during the Olympics. I don't actually want to attend them, I just want to take part in the hubbub. How can I reserve a cheap bed (~30USD) now? Caveat: I do not speak any Chinese.

How long is that green light?

Cochise — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:11:45 -0800

Help me find NYC traffic light times! I'm trying to find data on New York City traffic lights. Basically, I want to know how long between red lights and green lights in different parts of the city from different years. Or really one single year would be fine. I know these studies are done cause I've read results from them in the past in newspapers, I'm just having trouble finding them. Can anyone help me find this stuff out? Thanks!

Need help with WWOOF and other stay-with-a-stranger programs

theiconoclast31 — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:45:57 -0800

Summer just started, and I'd like to either WWOOF or helpx.net for 3-4 weeks. I've seen the previous AskMefi literature regarding those two sites and read their respective FAQs, but I have a couple worries.

How long from the first contact till the actual visit begins? August 25th is when my summer ends. This seems like enough time, but I'm not sure because WWOOF likes to communicate via snail mail.

I would like to go to the city (by bus, if necessary) at least every weekend, if possible. My guess is that most WWOOF hosts are pretty far from the city, so helpexchange might be the better choice. However, WWOOF seems like a much better established organization. And many listings on helpexchange seem geared towards skilled workers or females. Are these assumptions correct?

Couchsurfing also seemed like a viable way to travel, but I want to travel for upwards of 3 weeks and I don't really have transportation from one couch to the next.

Perhaps relevant: 19, college freshman. Speaks English and decent high school Spanish. Unskilled, unless you happen to need a web developer. Interested in someplace outside of the US and Asia (except maybe Tokyo).

And I'm always interested in reading about positive and negative experiences.

SFIO to Redwood City?

version control — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:15:18 -0800

How can I get from the San Francisco Airport to my housing in Redwood City on Saturday night? I've never been to SF before, and am working in Redwood City for the summer for an internship. The provided housing is this place: http://www.goodnite.com/redwood-city/ and the address is 485 Veterans Boulevard. Because I'm going to be there for 12 weeks, I'm going to have a decent amount of luggage- one pretty large suitcase on wheels, a bookbag/carry on, and my purse.

My contact at my job said a while back there might be a possibility that someone from the office could pick me up either at the airport itself or at the caltrain station in Redwood City, but I haven't heard back from him about it since I followed up on that yesterday. I'm getting into the SF airport around 8:30, so I probably won't be leaving until ~9:15

If I can't get a ride, should I take public transit anyway? Since there are multiple transit systems, how should I even try to get there?

Where should we go in Eastern Tennessee?

TrinaSelwyn — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:42:00 -0800

Help me find little-known destinations in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area, please! My husband and I will be staying in Townsend, Tennessee for a week in mid-June. I have googled and brochured my heart out, but what I'm looking for are smaller, less touristy wonders. They have to be out there, it's a gorgeous area. So, what I'm asking is; Does anybody know of any lesser-known must-sees in the area? Maybe the most beautiful waterfall that isn't listed in the Smoky Mountains waterfall brochure? We plan to stick to nature as much as possible, and we already have Cades Cove, Tuckaleechee Caverns etc. in our list of destinations. We will be avoiding the tourist traps in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge as much as possible.

And before you jump all over me, I've already read This, This, and This.

Thanks for your help!

Best route to get from the PCH / Santa Monica to LAX?

sergeant sandwich — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:17:39 -0800

Best route to get from the PCH / Santa Monica to LAX? Santa Monicans, please help. My girlfriend is headed to LAX to pick up her sister tonight via the PCH. Flight lands at 7. Google maps says to take the 10 to the 405 which sounds like a traffic nightmare. Is taking Lincoln a better option? I recognize that traffic will be sucky no matter what at this time of day, so I'm looking for the lesser of evils here. Thanks!

Headache-free travel between Croatia and Germany?

freudenschade — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:28:48 -0800

Planning a trip to Europe in September: the plan is to visit my girlfriend's family in Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina) for about a week, and then head up to Berlin for another week. What's the best way configure our travel plans? I was thinking we should fly Toronto > Berlin, and then immediately fly out to Dubrovnik (we'll have family to get us around while in Croatia and Bosnia). After a week, we'd fly back to Berlin, hang out there for seven days or so, and then fly back to Toronto. Easy, right? Not really.

It seems like there aren't that many airlines that fly from Berlin to Dubrovnik or anywhere close to there, and the ones that do (Germanwings was the only one I could nail down online) are pretty expensive. Taking the train would also be expensive, not to mention long. We were also considering flying to Italy and taking the ferry from Bari > Dubrovnik, but that seems complicated when combined with the rest of the travel. Now I'm starting to think about multi-city air tickets, although those get very expensive also (especially when flying with Air Canada).

Sorry that was so long-winded. Suggestions for part or all of the trip? Bonus points for anyone who can figure out how we can do it all efficiently while flying Air Canada to Europe and back (so I can buy one of the tickets on Aeroplan points). Oh, and suggestions about what to see/do while in Croatia and Bosnia would be cool, too. Thanks!

Custom inlay for a shift knob?

de void — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:24:20 -0800

Suggestions on something to put in the pattern/logo/inlay area on my car's aftermarket shift knob? I found an aftermarket shift knob that matchd my car's color and interior very well, so I bought it and installed it.

However, the "inlay" in the knob (circular area that usually has the shift pattern) was cracked and had a logo that I didn't care for, so I removed it.

Any suggestions on what I could put in the circular area on the top of the shift knob instead? Car is a 1st generation Scion xB, by the way.

I haven't had any luck locating someone that can make a custom shift knob inlay to order.

Images of the knob:

Image 1
Image 2

Family-type things to do in DC

rodii — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:26:51 -0800

What to do in DC for a couple days with kids? Yes, I'm aware that DC has a plethora of things to do. I'm looking to refine my list and get ideas I haven't thought about (I haven't been there much in the last couple decades).

I find myself in DC with my teenage kids next week (Thursday, Friday and some of Saturday). The kids aren't a problem--they're interested in everything and excited to be going. We'll probably do some monuments and some museums, but which ones? Is the Air and Space Museum still cool? Is the Capitol an interesting place to visit? Are there things to do or see, ideally near the Metro, that tourists tend to overlook? Free or cheap are good but not critical.

(Complicating this is the fact that next weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which I imagine brings crowds and patriotic pageantry that I would rather miss. But we're splitting for Chincoteague on Saturday, so hopefully we'll miss most of that--right?)

Honeymoon Roadtrip Advice!

HBWonderful — Thu, 15 May 2008 02:22:48 -0800

In order to avoid involvement in the general wedding preparations, I selflessly offered to book our entire honeymoon as a surprise. The plan is to spend 3 weeks in August touring the North-Eastern states. So far, however, I have only managed to book flights from England to New York and back. I now have 2 flights, 3 weeks apart, and a big void between them. After exhaustive research on this site, tripadvisor and others, I am just exhausted. I'm not much closer to finalizing plans, let alone getting anything booked. Perhaps you could help? This is the long-list of places I am considering visiting. Despite several visits to the US I haven't been to any of these previously. I don't suppose I can fit them all in in just 3 weeks though:

NYC
Boston
The White Mountains
The Green Mountains
Cape Cod
Rhode Island
Bar Harbor
Portland, ME
Stowe
Lake George or similar in the Adirondacks
Martha's Vineyard

As a rough driving guide I was thinking of heading up the Hudson into the Adirondacks, then across VT into Maine to Bar Harbor, then back down Route 1 along the coast towards Boston, then off to Cape Cod area, RI, CT and back to NYC.

Our likes:
Easy (for me) to moderate hiking and biking
Great scenery; lakes, mountains, forests, cityscapes etc.
Good food of all varieties, from world-class restaurants to Lobster rolls from roadside shacks.
Shopping, outlet malls etc.
Sunbathing, picnics and lazy adventures
Blagging our way into upmarket parties at yacht clubs, private resorts and the like.

Some problems:

How much of this can I realistically fit into 3 weeks? I don't want to be on the road every other day
If you were going to do this route, what would you cut out? What would be a must-see?
Am I too late to book some of these places in August?
I am hiring a car. We are staring in NYC for the first few days. I have no problem with driving in cities (even on the wrong side of the road) but will I need one in NYC?

Dry rot does not pass inspection

Brandon1600 — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:32:18 -0800

What kind of tires would you recommend for a 2001 Nissan Frontier SE RWD? I'm in the market for some new tires so I figured some you motorhead MeFites could offer some advice. I am being careful about this because a set of tires is a pretty significant investment for someone on my budget. Tirerack.com was pretty helpful and I narrowed it down to these. Any other suggestions?

Help my son & I do NYC right

pman78 — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:07:04 -0800

Dad and almost 15 yr. old son will be visiting NYC from Fri. May 30th-Mon June 1. He's the sporty type so museums and MOMA type things aren't turning his crank. What are the 'don't miss', the 'should try and take in' and the 'at your own risk' things we should do/avoid ? As a 14th birthday present he was allowed to choose a trip anywhere in North America so I want to make his first ever visit to NYC memorable. Staying at a friend's place in Hoboken. He's mentioned Spamalot and the Mets (any tix ideas?), he's into cool clothes, music, comedy and sports. Any tour/restaurant/event advice you can provide? Appreciate the help.

Does this waste gas?

yellowbkpk — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:57:57 -0800

When I push the gas pedal on my manual car down beyond where it accelerates, am I wasting gas? If I shift early and end up on the lower end of my engine's power curve, sometimes I instinctively push the gas pedal down -- even if it isn't providing any more power to the wheels. When this happens, I imagine that the throttle actuator is squirting more fuel into the cylindars than is actually being burned, thus wasting some gas and dropping my gas mileage.

Is this true?

For what it's worth, I have a 2005 Jetta.

Where to hold an off-site meeting outside of Manhattan?

davidvan — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:07:04 -0800

Anyone have recommendations for a place where my 10 person, New York City-based design team can hold a 2 day off-site meeting? Should be within an hour of manhattan, ideally north of the city. We would need to be able to sleep there, and there would need to be a conference room with whiteboard, etc. Would be great if the place had some charm.

Messenger bags versus backbacks?

whir — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:46:55 -0800

Why do you prefer a messenger bag to a backpack / bookbag (or vice versa) for bicycle commuting? Should I get one? My old backback is beginning to show some serious fray, and I'm looking at getting a new one. I see a lot of other bikers wearing messenger bags. They are so common that it seems like there's got to be something going on there, but the bags have always looked impractical to me, so I'm hoping to find out why people like them with an eye to possibly buying one.

In particular, does it tire one's shoulder out to have all the weight on one side? And doesn't the bag tend to slip around when you're biking around? Why do you prefer the bag over a regular two-strap backpack? ("I think it looks cooler" is a perfectly acceptable answer.)

My commute is mostly flat through heavy urban traffic, and I have road-bike style drop handlebars.

Travel questions to europa

stratastar — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:34:22 -0800

Eurotrip questions Redux: Have read previous posts and researched but need some specific advice for two issues: Eurorail and Pay as you go cell plan! Guys, I'm in need of the hive mind. I'm scheduled to leave for Paris, France on the 10th of July so I have less than 3 weeks. My travel route is the following, with parentheses denoting the amount of days spent in each city/locale: Paris(3.5)-->Amsterdam(2.5)-->Berlin(2)-->Prague(2)-->Munich(1)-->Florence(2.5)-->Rome(3.5)--Genoa (1)-->Cote d'Azur (2-3)-->Marseille/Provence(3)-->Barcelona(1)-->Ibiza(1)-->Valencia(1)-->Madrid(2)-->Barca(2.5)-->Bordeaux(1)-->Paris(1)-->HOME!
Whew.

1st question:

I read this thread about the eurorail and the general consensus was that the value of the eurorail depends on the breadth and travel specification. I've also read contradictory recommendations on lonleyplanet forums as well as eurorail information sites. Some say the eurorail offers more flexibility, especially incase one gets lost. Others say that there are hidden fees involved, so the "all-inclusive" concept is more of a sham than anything.

With the extent of cross country and multi-city travel, is the eurorail a good value for me? I'm on a tight budget and their website quotes $775 for the 1 month for me (as I am under 25). What am I to believe and can anyone give me advice tailored to my itinerary? Deal or no deal?

--------------

Second question: I am taking my cellphone (n82 Eurospec) with me for photo/music/gps/voip calls. I will need a paygo SIM card probably from a site in Paris when I fly in. I'm looking for a data centric plan, as I will be able to make VOIP calls through the n82's SIP clientel when in a 3G/WIFI area. What is a reasonable rate for 1 month of high data (the GPS should be exhausting our data usage) and some light cell call/txt usage, in case I need to call some people I meet? Where can I get this in the Parisian metropolitan area? Can I get it before hand and bring the SIM with me before I fly out?

Thanks so much!

Recommend a VW mechanic in PDX

maniactown — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:10:39 -0800

Can you recommend a Volkswagen mechanic in Portland or Eugene, Oregon? My Check-Engine light is on and I need to get the oil changed in my 2000 VW Eurovan. I'd prefer to find an honest, independent VW mechanic rather than patronize a dealership. Thanks!

Headed out on the trail - help equip our sing-a-long arsenal!

jofuu — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:52:51 -0800

My girlfriend and I are hiking the Appalachian trail for two weeks at the end of the month. We're taking along a Martin Backpacker (guitar) and a small set of bongos. What are some very excellent blues/folk/bluegrass/mountain songs that we should learn before we go? We're also bringing a hand held recorder so we can remember all this.

I'm looking for more traditional rootsy stuff as opposed to anything by contemporary artists. Obviously, I won't reject any ideas though so throw them at me.

Thanks in advance Metafilter!

Russia trip

scribbler — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:15:07 -0800

A friend and I are planning a trip to Russia this summer to visit a friend who has been working there for a couple years. My first question: Will this make getting a tourist visa more difficult (given we will not be staying in a hotel)? Secondly: We'd like to travel to a couple of other countries while we're there, but we're at a bit of a loss as to where... We'll probably be in Russia about two weeks and plan on seeing Moscow and St. Petersbug. I realize if you're in Russia, you're mostly close to Russia - but we'd also like to go to Poland, and maybe another place with about two weeks more in travel time. We're flying out from Toronto.

peas in a pod

diode — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:04:25 -0800

I'm riding with a stranger for 10 hours in a small car. What are some ways I can make the ride go easier, be more fun and enjoyable for both parties? I've arranged on craigslist for a ride down I-5 from Oregon to the Bay Area. The driver is a married woman, presumably in her thirties. I'm male, heading down there for the weekend to do some business.

There's the potential for it to feel a little awkward, being in a pod with a stranger for 10 hours, maybe 20 if we do the return trip together. How can I lighten it up so things go well?

I know I can pretty much eliminate such tactics as shooting Silly String all over the car, or showing off my appendectomy scar (just a joke...I don't have such a thing).

I know I could bring a book, some snacks, my iPod and disappear mostly since I don't have to drive. I'm also considering taking some Benadryl and conking out as much as possible.

On the other hand, I'm considering bringing a list of jokes just to create some laughter. I've been thinking of trying to spend the trip conversing and learning about this person, creating some personal interaction so you come away feeling like you've really learned something new.

I guess it all depends on the other person as well. For all I know, they may want to 'just drive' and want me to 'just be quiet'.

So, if you've been in this situation, how did you behave and what ways might I create this to be a fun interaction if that's an option on the menu.

Places in Maine to spend an anniversary?

xmutex — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:09:00 -0800

My wife and I want to go somewhere in Maine in July for our anniversary. It'd ideally be relaxing, out of the way, something that feels like... well, Maine. And lobsters! And the coast. Any tips? We're in our early 30s, if that matters.