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shoeshine boy
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Postby shoeshine boy » Thu May 19, 2022 10:32 am



We've stayed at the Grove Park Inn, which was awesome. Similar vibe to Biltmore, and a very cool experience. But a lot more expensive now then it was 10+ years ago when we stayed there.
yeah, someone suggested having a drink at the bar there to make use of the view. I looked at how much it would be to stay and nearly passed out- $500 a night. :scared:

can't justify that when I can get AC hotel in downtown Asheville at the Gov rate of $150 a night.

DigitalGypsy66
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Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Thu May 19, 2022 10:35 am

Yeah, the bar is pretty awesome. My family would go between Christmas and New Year, and got iced in one year. We managed to drink that bar dry of Maker's Mark that year. :lol:

But it was probably the late 90s, early 2000s. It was reasonable back then, but we used it for our family business "corporate retreat" lol.

tifosi77
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Postby tifosi77 » Thu May 19, 2022 6:41 pm

Re GWB

Now, you're prolly thinkin: "I'm up s**t's creek!
I've never been north of ninety-sixth Street!"
Well, you must take the A-Train.
Go even farther than Harlem to northern Manhattan and maintain.
Get off at one-eighty first and take the escalator.
I hope you're writtin' this down, I'm gonna test ya later.

nocera
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Postby nocera » Thu May 19, 2022 7:01 pm

Re GWB

Now, you're prolly thinkin: "I'm up s**t's creek!
I've never been north of ninety-sixth Street!"
Well, you must take the A-Train.
Go even farther than Harlem to northern Manhattan and maintain.
Get off at one-eighty first and take the escalator.
I hope you're writtin' this down, I'm gonna test ya later.
Funny, the whole time I was thinking “it’s just me and the GWB, asking gee Nina what will you be?”

tifosi77
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Postby tifosi77 » Thu May 19, 2022 7:13 pm

Yes, but that's a lot less words.

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Thu May 19, 2022 10:27 pm

TIL a cargo liner hit the old sunshine skyway Bridge and the bridge literally collapsed with people on it. Damn. I always wondered why there were such long fishing piers along side the new one. Those use to be the old bridge.

shafnutz05
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Postby shafnutz05 » Fri May 20, 2022 5:55 am

Well, tested negative, got 200 Euros worth of duty free Irish whiskey through customs with no issues (didn't have to declare anything), and headed home.

The newish preclearance at Dublin Airport is fantastic. When I land in Newark, I can bypass customs and go straight to baggage claim. Big stress reliever.
Did you have to test before leaving the states as well? We're flying to London at the end of June and have to test... just wondering what the process is, do we do it at the airport or do we have to have results prior to arriving?
Nope... US is one of very few places that require it I think.

There are plenty of places to book in advance...it can be done the previous calendar day. I booked mine as early as possible the day before my flight at a pharmacy in Dublin, it was 35 Euros and they emailed me the official EU testing certificate which I could then upload to Verifly.

Had it within the hour.

shafnutz05
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Postby shafnutz05 » Fri May 20, 2022 5:57 am

Well, tested negative, got 200 Euros worth of duty free Irish whiskey through customs with no issues (didn't have to declare anything), and headed home.

The newish preclearance at Dublin Airport is fantastic. When I land in Newark, I can bypass customs and go straight to baggage claim. Big stress reliever.
Pre-clearance is the best. It's been around for a long time. I grew up with Shannon pre-clearance and thought it was normal to do US immigration/customs in other countries. Helps if you have tight connections on the other side.

I've walked through dublin pre-clearance with 6 bottles of wine and 4 bottles of whiskey. I even told them and they waved me through :lol:
That's great! :lol:

Had no idea it has been around that long. Almost seems like a wink and a nudge between the two countries at times

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Fri May 20, 2022 8:13 am

2023 trip

Flights: $2246
Seat upgrades: $1605

I hate airlines.

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Fri May 20, 2022 11:35 am

Hard no for me.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Fri May 20, 2022 11:38 am

I don't really have a choice. No **** way am I sitting that long in coach, so E+ is mandatory.

RonnieFranchise
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Postby RonnieFranchise » Fri May 20, 2022 9:00 pm

Yeah that’s more on plane tickets than all but two entire vacations I’ve ever taken.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sat May 21, 2022 6:30 am

I can’t wait for the post-pandemic travel surge to die, because that’s what these dadholes are using to justify airfare right now, and it’s sickening.

Orlando Penguin
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Postby Orlando Penguin » Mon May 23, 2022 7:53 am

When I tell y’all that TSA Pre is a must when departing MCO, it’s days like today that I have in mind. Took 5 mins in Pre vs 25-30 for the unwashed masses. Monday mornings are rough as it is so if you have future plans thru this area, you’re gonna want to leave earlier than usual.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Mon May 23, 2022 7:54 am

25-30 minutes for non-Pre check at MCO? That sounds like a dream to me.

shafnutz05
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Postby shafnutz05 » Mon May 23, 2022 11:21 am

Does Philly have the worst Monday morning security line anywhere?

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Mon May 23, 2022 11:21 am

Does Philly have the worst Monday morning security line anywhere?
Yes.

shafnutz05
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Postby shafnutz05 » Mon May 23, 2022 11:25 am

:thumb: :lol:

I am trying to find flights for my daughter to visit Grandma in Mobile this summer...of course, there is no easy way to get there. But we will pay extra money and fly out of MDT instead of PHL

Joegap
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Postby Joegap » Wed May 25, 2022 10:21 am

How long does it take to be approved for the TSA precheck? Have a flight to Orlando in July, and wondering if I am too late

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Wed May 25, 2022 11:11 am

How long does it take to be approved for the TSA precheck? Have a flight to Orlando in July, and wondering if I am too late
Ours only took a few days (last April), but I would start the process right now and get your appointment to be safe. If you already have tickets, you'll have to call the airline to have them add your traveler # to the ticket.

RonnieFranchise
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Postby RonnieFranchise » Wed May 25, 2022 11:33 am

How long does it take to be approved for the TSA precheck? Have a flight to Orlando in July, and wondering if I am too late
Ours only took a few days (last April), but I would start the process right now and get your appointment to be safe. If you already have tickets, you'll have to call the airline to have them add your traveler # to the ticket.
This.

Because regardless of whether you were approved or not, if it's not on your BP, you don't have it. You will then have to do the walk of shame all the way back the line while getting the eye **** by everyone you pass.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Wed May 25, 2022 11:33 am

How dare you get in this line, pond scum! Back to the filthy masses with you!

shoeshine boy
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Postby shoeshine boy » Wed May 25, 2022 3:01 pm

How long does it take to be approved for the TSA precheck? Have a flight to Orlando in July, and wondering if I am too late
the hard part is getting your interview. when I did mine, my original interview was something like 4 months away but I kept checking the schedule every day and within a week or two, one opened up MUCH earlier.
oh, and when I went for my interview, i only saw one other non-employee in the office the entire time so I'm not really sure what the long wait was about. this was probably 2014, btw.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Wed May 25, 2022 3:03 pm

How long does it take to be approved for the TSA precheck? Have a flight to Orlando in July, and wondering if I am too late
the hard part is getting your interview. when I did mine, my original interview was something like 4 months away but I kept checking the schedule every day and within a week or two, one opened up MUCH earlier.
Gotta say, it was stupid easy for me to get the interview setup. I used IdentoGO, which has a ton of locations, and had the pick of the litter.

shoeshine boy
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Postby shoeshine boy » Wed May 25, 2022 3:04 pm



Gotta say, it was stupid easy for me to get the interview setup. I used IdentoGO, which has a ton of locations, and had the pick of the litter.
interesting. not an option in ATL in 2014. you had to go to one of 2 US customs offices. one is AT the airport and one is about a mile away from the airport.

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