Arriving in the United States in 2006, I really had no idea what the whole fuss was about over Thanksgiving at the end of November every year. In reality I just thought this was just another holiday that was celebrated and folks used this as an excuse to be off work for a few days to celebrate with their family.

Maybe I still don’t appreciate the holiday season over here that I am not completely familiar with as much as US citizens do, but one thing this holiday does is make me think about what I am thankful for. I recently turned 30 and although I am an advocate of this just being a number, it’s interesting to look back over the previous decade and realize just how many things have taken place during my 20’s.

I graduated from the University of Manchester with my Bachelor’s degree, later graduated with my Master of Business Administration from Arkansas State University, got married to my wife and soul mate Heather, lived in four different places (two countries/three USA states) and the list goes on.

I think it’s almost impossible to be thankful for everything that has taken place in the past and I am sure we are all guilty of taking some things for granted, but here is my shot at some things that spring to mind when I think about Thanksgiving.

• I met Heather, my wife, in 2008, married in 2011 and formed the most amazing partnership every! She is the best thing that ever happened to me.
• My mum and dad (and other family) have supported me with every decision that I made, in particular their unbelievable encouragement when I made the move out to USA in 2006.
• Having a great job that I enjoy getting up every day for and helping students achieve their education goals.
• Our love for travel and our ability to take so many trips every year.
• Being able to play golf still as much as possible (trivial I know but it’s still a huge passion).
• Our home – it’s only a townhouse/apartment but it’s ours and we have made it our home!
• Proximity to Kandela Mexican Restaurant! One thing I am thankful for since I arrived in USA is finding out how good Mexican cuisine really is. Plus it’s even better when it’s authentic.
• I am still able to follow the ups and downs of Ramsbottom United (my local football team in England) via Twitter.
• I became an avid Apple fan! Despite stating several years ago that I would never become an Apple addict, I now own an iPod, iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air. I will let you decide for yourself (oh yes, and I plan on buying an iPad Mini later today on Black Friday!).
• I appreciate England even more now that I don’t live there. Whenever we travel over there on our annual trip, I really enjoy visiting places I probably took for granted before.
• The folks that I have met here in USA that have made me feel welcome and don’t discriminate that my nationality is different. Americans sometimes get a stereotype attached to them around the world but I can truly say they are a friendly bunch (for the most part right!).
• That my Green Card and Visa process is coming to an end (hopefully will achieve US citizenship within the next few years!).
• And finally, to repeat my first point, I am thankful for having Heather in my life who helps me every day become a better person and the fact that we have so much in common and enjoy life together!

When you think about Thanksgiving, what are you most thankful for?

It may be something obvious or something really trivial that most folks probably take for granted, but sit down for a few minutes and think about this.

If you have watched Tom Hanks performing in the JFK based “The Terminal”, you will certainly understand the importance of using your imagination to pass time! We have all been in the situation of having to wait at the airport terminal either having to hang around for a connecting flight or due to weather delays etc.

So what can we do to pass what sometimes could be several hours before we can head on to our next destination? The following gives a brief insight into the top 5 pastimes that travelers tend to do whilst waiting (please comment if you have any other suggestions):

Shopping

Most airports have a variety of shops available for avid travelers to visit. Many of these stores are sometimes local to the airport in terms of the merchandise available. i.e. If you are at O’Hare airport in Chicago, you are likely to find Bears, Blackhawks and Cubs memorabilia though there are generally many other options available. Some of the larger global airports have so many shops across their various terminals that they are more like a shopping mall.

The airport terminal is the perfect location for leading designers to showcase their products especially given the thousands of tourists and business travelers that pass through 365 days of the year.

Wine and Dine

All airports have various dining options, ranging from basic deli options to more lavish three course meal dining locations. Use your time wisely to eat at the airport terminal rather than relying on the plane food which although in many cases is edible, generally leaves a lot to be desired given there are few options available (even if you travel in business class).

Visiting a Chilis or sports bar can be relaxing as you can pick away at an appetizer and sip on a beer whilst watching the latest sports action. Airports are more expensive and you certainly shouldn’t compare prices to what you would regularly pay. Merchants know they can increase the price ceiling because travelers will pay the prices to satisfy their needs.

Research your Destination

Unless you are the perfect planner and well organized individual, you are likely to be in the same position as most travelers lacking sufficient knowledge to know exactly what you are going to do at your final destination. Use the time at the airport to research things to do, places to eat and probably most importantly, how to get around in your destination. Will you be renting a car, using public transportation or simply staying at the all-inclusive resort? All these are questions that need to be answered and preparing before you get there can certainly save you hassle when you should be relaxing and focusing on enjoying your vacation.

Airports are fitted with wi-fi, some you are fortunate to receive free wireless access which is just a great way to perform research while others you have to pay to use the internet service (Boingo is a good example of a wi-fi provider in the airport). One suggestion that may be useful is researching the airport before you travel and see what internet connections are available and some offer the opportunity to pre-purchase wi-fi time for cheaper than at the airport. Tracking travel blogs, researching websites and checking out the latest weather or all good ways to spend your time.

If the Internet is not your preferred medium, visit one of the airport news vendors and look at purchasing either a travel book of your destination or maybe a magazine advertising an array of locations is a better read. Whichever works best for you, use this time to plan your schedules!!

Exercise

Airports really can prove to be great places for getting some exercise before a potentially long haul flight. Not only are you gaining exercise, you can also see some interesting artifacts in airports. Sculptures, wall art and modern architecture are generally prevalent throughout leading global airports and many offer the opportunity to learn the history and heritage within the city/country you are currently based.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport is a great airport to walk several miles as there are numerous terminals connected by the underground train, at the same time offering pedestrians the option to walk parallel to the tracks. Combining shopping, exercise and expanding your knowledge of a region, walking is certainly a great way of passing some time.

Take a Nap

Some people are fortunate to be able to sleep when flying. Unfortunately I am not one of these folks and I am sure there are plenty out there who have the same feelings towards flying on a plane. I am not sure if it due to comfort or whether I am always wanting to know what is going on, where we are etc. I don’t know but waiting around in the terminal is a great opportunity to take a quick cat nap!

I am not suggesting you take the Hanks approach of setting up your bed in the terminal by moving chairs around, but there are generally locations in a terminal that are quieter than you can either curl up in a corner against a wall or lounge in a comfortable chair. Many airports have sleep areas where travelers can take a quick nap, so please take advantage of this if you are like me and struggle to doze off when flying at 30000 feet.

If you are following us on Twitter, you may have noticed a Tweet I released indicating that we have finally achieved our goal of reaching Companion Pass status. I will get into a little more detail later in this post about what this involves and means, but for anyone that has never flown or even researched Southwest Airlines, I hope this post gives you a better idea as to what advantages they have to offer over other leading airlines.

The airline industry is undoubtedly competitive so for an airline to grab that all important ‘competitive advantage’, they have to find niches in the market that will attract customers. Southwest Airlines is relatively new in comparison to other airline powerhouses such as American, Delta or US Airways so they have to look at other ways to gain a reputation rather than just ‘long standing’ support from regular flyers.

Here are our top 5 reasons why you should consider using Southwest Airlines for your next domestic US flight.

Cheaper Fares

Who doesn’t want to take advantage of cheap flights? Over the last few years, airline tickets have skyrocketed and it appears that long gone are the days where you can fly domestically for less than $100 round trip. Well….not necessarily! Southwest Airlines frequently provides blockbuster sales from various hubs across the States with flights as low as $45 one way. We are fortunate to now have two relatively close hubs to Jonesboro, Arkansas. Little Rock, AR and starting this week, Memphis, TN now have direct flights to various destinations across USA.

Free Checked Bag(s)

Even if you are a frequent flyer and believe that you are able to pack everything in to you carry-on bag, how nice would it be if you could check a bag with you airline and not have to pay an extra $20-$120 per bag each way? Well, Southwest Airlines are the perfect airline for you because they give you not only one but TWO free checked bags when you use them as your preferred airline.

This is a huge incentive especially for families who travel on vacations with kids and need to take plenty of luggage with them. 2 bags per person – put that into perspective for a family of 4 and that is potentially 8 free bags and when you do the math on this, that could be a saving of several hundred dollars!

I am impressed with this ‘add-on’ because combining this with generally cheaper airfares, it is making Southwest a leader of low-cost airlines.

No Seat Assignment

You may think that having no seat assignment would be a drawback but I like to think of this being advantageous. How many times do you book a flight and then try to assign yourself a seat, only to find that all the seats are reserved or you have to pay extra for ‘extra leg room’ etc? Well, you don’t have to worry about this with Southwest, all you have to do is ensure that you are awake 24 hours prior to your departure time and check-in online to get assigned a group number. The earlier group number that you get, the more choice you will have when you walk on to the plane.

Check out this interactive guide on how the boarding process works for Southwest Airlines: Boarding Process

Companion Pass

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Companion Pass is what inspired me to write this post today. On Sunday, November 3rd, we received confirmation from Southwest that we had achieved Companion Pass status for the rest of 2013 and the 2014 calendar year. So what does this mean? Here are the key benefits of a Companion Pass:

• A companion of your choice can fly with you for FREE (Yes you read that correctly!) whenever you take a flight to a chosen Southwest destination.
• You can book qualifying Companion Pass flights using either money or existing points that you have.
• A companion can be added to existing flight reservations, so you don’t need to add the companion at the time of booking the initial flight.

So how do you achieve Companion Pass status? There are currently two ways of doing this. The first way is to complete 100 qualifying Southwest Flights in a calendar year which in reality is difficult unless you are a frequent flyer and that would still equate to about 2 flights per week. The other option, which is what we achieved, is to accumulate 110,000 points using a variety of methods. Southwest partners with Chase to make the Rapid Rewards credit card options a great way to start. Frequently they will have an offer that when you open a credit card with them, after spending the first $2000 within the first three months, you will earn a bonus 50k points which DO count towards Companion Pass status.

Above is the Tweet that I posted on Monday confirming that our Rapid Rewards account achieved 110k points. We earned the 50k points at the end of July so in reality we have earned 60k more since then. This initially may seem like a lot of expenses but here are a few ways we have found to maximize your spending and achieve the ultimate goal:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal – Keep checking back here daily or weekly as there are always companies that offer double and even triple points.
• Teleflora – Unfortunately we have just found out that as of 11/20/13, they are no longer offering the deal that we took advantage of (1000 points for each transaction of at least $30).
• E-Rewards and E-Miles – Take a bunch of surveys and basically get free money. For every $25 you earn in survey money on e-rewards, you can convert this to 500 RR points.

Partnership with Airtran

You may be aware that Southwest Airlines acquired Airtran Airways in 2011. This merger is still ongoing and of course we are not going to see the maximum benefits of this until everything in the process is complete. However, we are already noticing some benefits that we can take advantage of as travelers.

Whenever you book on Southwest.com, you now have the ability to book flights to Airtran hubs. Many of these are now available ‘directly’ through Southwest while some still require you to be redirected through the Airtran portal. Those that make you redirect unfortunately will not allow you to use your Southwest accrued points or Companion Pass status but reports suggest by the end of 2014, all flight connections and bookings will be made directly through Southwest.com.

Do you fly Southwest Airlines?

What are your opinions on their customer service and incentives?

Following on from our Sunday Brunch Travel Chat (#SBTC) with Phoebe (@ShortRoad2Happy) and fellow travel bloggers, we decided to write about our ‘In Flight Necessities’.

We are all culprits of overpacking I am sure but when it comes to the crunch of packing those essential items for your carry on bag for that long haul flight, what do you take with you and cannot bare to leave behind?

During Sunday’s discussion, one of the questions was related to how our in-flight necessities have changed over time and we certainly believe that with the development of technology and personal needs, our opinions on what we need most has changed dramatically. Long gone are the days of a hard back book and ear plugs, now we are all checking out the latest iTunes apps or Android market for something that will help pass the time on a flight.

But, this is just our opinion and I am sure there are many still out there that still prefer to remain old-school and take their favorite book with them. This is the beauty of travel and all of our needs and desires are so different.

As I mentioned, our needs are changing all the time but as of today, Tuesday October 29, 2013, this is what we consider to be our 5 most important in-flight necessities. What are your most important items that you have to take with you?

iPad or Other Tablet Device

When Apple released the first iPad in 2010, I will be the first to admit that I was not sold on this product. I was an avid laptop user (and still am!) but I was not an Apple or Mac user. The look and feel of Apple products was great but I couldn’t justify the cost of this product line. However, after falling for the Apple bug and purchasing the iPad 2 in 2011, I became well and truly hooked.

Heather and I both have iPad’s – one thing I will admit is that there is nothing much noticeably different between any of the iPad generations (we have a 2nd and 3rd generation) but these are absolutely wonderful assets when we travel. iPad’s are perfect replacements for books and/or magazines. You can preload your tablet with plenty of reading material prior to flying, purchase apps or download from a myriad of free apps and add your favorite music and videos for viewing later.

Whenever I consider the main attractions of an iPad or other tablet for that matter, I think about flexibility and versatility. This is what these offer over anything we have seen in the past. The ability to contain a plethora of products and ideas in one device is truly impressive and something that makes flying much more enjoyable. I am sure we are going to see the iPad continue to evolve, especially given that we have recently heard about the release of the new iPad Air which will be much lighter and efficient.

Camera

Taking your camera onboard is not a necessity for the flight itself but for any aspiring travel blogger or photographer, taking your DSLR or point and shoot camera on a trip is imperative! Even when we are traveling long distance and check a bag, we never want to check anything with substantial value and our camera certainly falls into this category.

Discussion on Sunday led to us speaking about how travelers and tourists are shifting from using cameras to the use of smartphone technology and the built in cameras. Heather admitted to being guilty of using her iPhone 5 to take pictures and I have to say that smartphone cameras are developing and rapidly bridging the gap with regular cameras. However, this still does not take away from the fact that a smartphone does not have the same capabilities as an expensive DSLR or even point and shoot camera.

Laptop

An iPad is great for most things but I am still not convinced that it can replace a laptop for many important business needs or travel blogging necessities. When writing blog posts or drafts, I still prefer using the web browser (if Internet connectivity is available) or Microsoft Word to put together my posts for our site. I recently purchased a 11″ MacBook Air and feel that this is the perfect travel companion for a laptop given it’s sleek size, lightweight nature and featuring the new Haswell processor has great battery life! What more could a travel blogger right?

Hydration

Prior to boarding the plane, we usually like to grab a bottle of water or soda so that we can keep hydrated rather than having to wait for the in-flight service. For the most part, drinks on the plane are sufficient but it is always nice to have an extra bottle handy in case of emergencies (if you need to take some last minute medication such as sleeping pills) or to re-hydrate after back to back connections.

Headphones

If you are using either your iPad, Laptop or other device to listen to music or watch a movie, the likelihood is that you will need a good pair of headphones. Most airlines will provide a free pair especially if you are a traveling overseas but the quality of these, if you are flying economy, is not particularly good. I have tried the ‘over the ear’ headphones and have never been a big fan of these!

Heather continues to ask me if I think she should buy a pair of Beats but I personally prefer the in-ear options and I have a couple of pairs that I am comfortable with. Koss and Sony are two brands that I have used recently that I am happy with but there are various out there that can suit your needs. Everyone is different and we all have our own personal preferences.

There you have my list of the Top 5 In-Flight Necessities. I am sure that if Heather put together her list, from a female perspective they would be very different as will all of your responses but I think that these give a good indication as to where many of us are heading with the advancement in technology.

What are your in-flight necessities?