Affiliate Link Note: If you use my link to SkyRoam, you’ll get $20 off your purchase (to buy, not rent), and I’ll get a few free days! You certainly don’t have to… but I wouldn’t object!
I’ll be doing some international travel this winter with my girlfriend and to maintain the level of connectivity that we have grown accustomed to, I decided to give SkyRoam [Affiliate Link] a go!
For $99.99 ($79.99 if you use my link, above), you get unlimited Wi-Fi in a variety of countries, including the UK, Qatar, and India – all of which we’ll be traveling through this December and January. That said, the price is only for the device itself, and you pay on a day-by-day basis beyond that.
I came across this product through a poster to The Frugal Travel Guy blog, Caroline Lupini, who recently tested this in Uzbekistan! The other draw is that you are limited to 350MB/day before your speed drops, but again, for basic connectivity (email, blogging, and so on) that is plenty!
I’ll be sure to report back after giving SkyRoam [Affiliate Link] a shot this winter!
Over the past few weeks I’ve had the pleasure of flying first class on flights offering meals. Raleigh offers direct flights to Salt Lake City and Minneapolis, and based on time of day first class passengers are offered meals.
RDU-SLC: Breakfast
The flight from Raleigh to Salt Lake City departs at 7:25 AM, usually, and my flight offered a choice between cold cereal and an omelette with chicken sausage. Though the fruit was a little over-sweet, the omelette was surprisingly good.
Omelette and chicken sausage
RDU-MSP
There are flights from Raleigh to Minneapolis, and vice versa, many times a day. Though not as long as the flight to Salt Lake City, meals are still offered if you fly near breakfast, lunch, or dinner time! I opted for the bacon-egg sandwich served on a flaky pastry. As with the SLC flight, the fruit was way too sweet.
Bacon & egg sandwich on flaky pastry
MSP-RDU
The 7:30 flight from MSP to RDU offers a satisfying dinner service; much tastier than the breakfast! The dinner options were a honey-glazed salmon on rice with vegetables, or a smoked turkey salad. I opted for the salad out of curiosity, and found it was a cross between potato salad, cubed smoked turkey, and edamame. The potato salad also had green beans and radishes. The salad was served with crostini and a cookie Overall a very nice meal for a domestic flight!
The Capital Grille national chain has come to Raleigh, and American Express sent me an invitation to sample their menu during a special event. Naturally, I was more than happy to take advantage of the opportunity!
Menu
For this event, only a small portion of their full menu was available to the guests, but it certainly did not disappoint!
Preview Event Menu
I went with the Dry Aged steak while my girlfriend opted for the sliced Fillet. To go with our meals, I had a glass of Malbec, and she had a Blackberry Bourbon Sidecar.
Dinner
The presentation was excellent and the wait staff did everything they could to make sure our needs were met. They even served our appetizers to us while holding the plates!
Blackberry Bourbon SidecarPan Fried CalamariFillet with Onions and MushroomsDry Aged DelicousnessFrench Beans with Tomatoes
For dessert, they surprised us with a chocolate lava cake served with cherries in a Chambord sauce. So many wonderful flavors!
Chocolate Lava Cake
They left a thank-you note as well as a survey to help improve their performance once they are fully open. I was more than happy to be a guinea pig!
My girlfriend and I went up to Washington, DC for the long weekend and wanted to spend some time re-discovering the city, since we hadn’t visited since our respective childhoods. I booked our room at the Grand Hyatt given its location, and was pleasantly surprised by everything that came with it!
Location
The Grand Hyatt is located on the corner of 11th street and H street, which is a very short walk from the Metro Center Station. There are many restaurants a short walk away, and many attractions are within a 15 minute walk (the White House, the Washington monument, and the National Mall, for example).
Restaurants
There is a Starbucks Reserve in the lobby, as well as Cure – a restaurant that carefully pairs ingredients for a wonderful experience. Located on the first basement level is the hotel’s main restaurant – Cabinet. I received a daily breakfast pass because of my status, which was a pleasant surprise.
Diamond breakfast
Room Information
I was given a corner room on the 12th floor, with the bed offering a nice view of the city below.
Room entry
View from the bed
The TV was placed on a dresser that contained a safe and mini-fridge, as well as an interface system that allows guests to hook up their own devices.
Media inputs and USB charging
Hotel Amenities
As mentioned above, the hotel houses two restaurants as well as a Starbucks, so there are many dining options without even leaving the building. Also within the building is a FedEx location – contained within the business center, and a large number of meeting rooms.
Hyatt has a very friendly policy when it comes to forgetting things at home. Simply call the front desk and someone will bring what you need and leave it at the door for you. Depending on what it is, you can keep it, or just borrow it for your visit, allowing you to buy it at check-out.
Forgot something?
The hotel also has a spectacular skylight and a chandelier that dangles from the 12th floor to the basement.
This week I managed to catch a glimpse of BRCF Delta’s 767-400ER (tail N845MH, ship 1821) before it departed to Frankfurt. Known affectionately as “Pink Force One“, it was repainted in 2015, though it has been pink since 2010.
After years of traveling without active-noise cancelling, I decided it was time to take the step and move from sound-isolating earbuds to over-the-ear headphones. Though not the quintessential Bose QuietComfort25[affiliate link], I am thrilled with my Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B[affiliate link].
I detailed some features of the ATH-ANC7B below, as well as some other headphones and earbuds that might appeal to you. Let me know what you use in the air!
ATH-ANC7B
The ATH-ANC7B has a microphone on each ear-cup offering a solid 90% noise-cancellation in addition to the noise-isolation that the cups themselves provide. These headphones come with two lines as well as a sturdy carrying case.
The CaseCable Compartment! So much cleaner.ANC Powered OffANC Powered On
One thing to keep in mind is that the version of the ATH-ANC7B that I purchased does not have an in-line microphone for phone calls. For that, you would have to use the ATH-ANC7B SVIS [affiliate link].
In addition to an amazing feel on your head, the QuietComfort 25 comes with an in-line microphone and some of the best noise-cancellation and built-in equalization available. Boasting upwards of 30 hours of use on a single AAA battery, few headphones come close. This makes it ideal for long days of flying!
The ATH-ANC7B’s big brother! In addition to the comfort of the ATH-ANC7B, the ATH-ANC9 offers three different isolation profiles that target specific frequencies common to various environments: airplane, office, and study. The noise-cancellation is more advanced, as well, coming in at 95%. This is achieved by the presence of two microphones on each ear-cup.
The QC20s are the in-ear version of the QC25. Though it lacks the additional isolation provided by the over-the-ear form of the QC25, the proprietary eartips make a big difference. I strongly advise against using these for the gym, however. There is nothing more frustrating than damaging expensive technology because a weight rolled over it! Though they are pricey, you do get what you pay for.
The BeoPlay H3 by Bang & Olufsen is easily on-par with the Bose QC20. Unlike the other headphones listed here, the H3 uses a built-in Lithium Ion battery that offers 20 hours of ANC playback. You get the stylistic appeal and quality audio that B&O is known for, along with memory-foam tips on the earbuds.
Don’t discount this pair from its price alone. The ATH-ANC23 boasts a solid 90% noise reduction for less than $60! You also get a carrying bag, extra ear-pieces so you can ensure a comfortable fit, and an extra adapter to use on planes that use the two-pronged audio plug. If you would like to have earbuds with a microphone, you will need to opt for the ATH-ANC33iS[affiliate link], though.
Travel Charger
I can’t say enough good things about the eneloop Rechargeable Battery Pack by Panasonic[affiliate link]. Other than the B&O H3, all headphones listed above use AAA batteries, and having a charger you can travel with is crucial. Amazon makes a charger with USB port[affiliate link] if you have Ni-MH batteries already. Both chargers will handle AAA and AA batteries, so you are set for other devices you have that need them, as well.
I managed to catch a glimpse of The Spirit of Atlanta while relaxing at the SkyClub on Concourse F, today! According to FlightAware, it was departing to Tokyo-Narita.
Spirit of Atlanta
The Spirit of Atlanta is a Boeing 777-200LR that was christened in commemoration of Delta’s 70th anniversary. Watch the video below!
