JustFly.com Offers A Good Price, But Little Else

JustFly.com

I was taken to JustFly.com's website after searching Kayak, United, Delta, and Lufthansa extensively for fares on an upcoming overseas trip. I was hesitant at first being a unfamiliar website, but I decided to give them a try with the following reservations, pun intended ...

First, people need more information before paying for a reservation, like applicable baggage fees (not just a disclaimer saying "the airline MAY require baggage fees"), to make an informed decision. JustFly does not provide actual fees, only the disclaimer. Fortunately, having flown Lufthansa many times in the past, the carrier for the trip, I knew that the first bag (up to 50 pounds) was free, making the decision a bit easier.

Second, JustFly does not provide a way to enter frequent flyer account information either before or after purchase.  I assumed that once registered with their site, I would be able to update my profile with the data, but that was not the case. The only information available for editing on their website are name and email address, no seat or meal preferences, home airport, passport information, or anything else for that matter. The ability to enter frequent flyer and other pertinent personal information once would save customers a lot of time later and help ensure they return to make future purchases.

The only plus was that their price and itinerary were better than I could find even on Lufthansa.com, therefore ...

CombatCritic Gives JustFly.com 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

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Title: JustFly.com Offers A Good Price, But Little Else

Key Words: JustFly, just, fly, airfare, airline, travel, fare, reservation, trip, website, frequent, flyer, miles, value, TravelValue, CombatCritic, critic

DayTripQuip™: New Delhi to Agra ... The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort

Taj Mahal and Agra Fort Day Trip

If you want to see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, make a day trip out of it rather than staying overnight in Agra. Agra has few redeeming qualities other than these two extremely impressive landmarks in my opinion and spending even one night should be avoided. Let's face it ... Agra is a pit!

There are bus tours available or you can take a train from the main New Delhi station if on a budget, but I would not recommend the train unless you have confirmed reservations both coming and going. If planning a visit to Varanasi by bus, car, or train, another option is to visit Agra on the way as it lies between New Delhi and India's holiest city. However, by the time you pay for two or more bus tour tickets, you could hire a private cab to take you to Agra, leaving New Delhi at 9AM, visiting both Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal, stopping for lunch and some shopping, and returning to New Delhi by 9PM.

Agra Fort Exterior

My wife and I hired a taxi for the day at our hotel near the New Delhi train station, charging us 7,500 rupees ($120.00) for the itinerary described earlier. We left around 9:30 AM on a Sunday morning, a good day to go to as traffic is quite a bit lighter in New Delhi on a Sunday morning. It took us about two-and-a-half hours to get to Agra Fort, including a pit stop, traveling on the toll road, which costs a little more than the toll-free route, but shaved an additional two hours off the journey ... each way!

A foggy morning, we decided to visit Agra Fort first to let the clouds burn off a bit before we headed over to the nearby Taj Mahal. We picked up our "complimentary tour guide" who briefed us on safety/security details upon arrival where "hawkers" and "pickpockets" reportedly would be waiting for us when we exited the taxi. The hawkers were no worse than any other tourist attraction in India and pickpockets are not a problem as long as you use a little common sense and pay attention to your surroundings.

Agra Fort is beautiful, impressive, and crowded. Entry was 350 rupees ($5.70 each) and we spent about an hour walking through the grounds, snapping photos, and learning about its history from our guide. We may have very well missed something as we found out later that our guide was cutting corners and not totally truthful in order to move us along so we had time to go shopping at a marble factory he was "touting" ("receiving kickback from", a common practice among taxi drivers and tour guides throughout India and elsewhere).

The Taj Mahal is open every day except Friday from sunrise to sunset, not "6am to 7pm" as advertised by About Travel's "India Travel Expert" in her Taj Mahal Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go. There are three gates, but we entered through the East Gate (described as the "VIP gate" by our guide), paying 750 rupees ($12.15) each for entry, jumping on a tram for the short ride to the entrance. The lines were short both to buy tickets and enter the grounds, so this may very well be the best available option.

Once inside, there is a large courtyard to traverse before entering through the "Royal Gate", an ornate red sandstone arch where the enormous Taj Mahal looms in the background as you enter. Having seen countless photos and heard numerous stories about the Taj Mahal for many years, I was very interested in visiting, but until I actually saw it in person, I had no idea how impressive it actually is.

The long, narrow reflecting pond is cut in half by a raised terrace where "Princess Diana's Bench" or "Lady Di's Chair" is located, the location of a famous photo taken of the princess during a visit to the Taj Mahal in 1992. We were told, as were many other tourists apparently, that the bench closest to the "Royal Gate" (on the opposite side of the terrace from the Taj Mahal) was where the photo was actually taken. But I assumed it was actually the other bench (closest to the tomb and, oddly enough, ignored by most tourists even though it offers a much better photo opportunity) where it was taken, a hunch that was confirmed the next day when I checked the internet for the photo.

There is a small museum (free) on the West side of the grounds halfway between the Royal Gate and Taj Mahal that is well worth a visit. I knew it was there and as our guide tried to steer us toward the tomb I asked if we could visit, but he said "it's closed for renovations". I could see that people were entering and leaving the building, so I insisted on going over to check. "Oh, they must be letting a small number of people in, you are very lucky" he exclaimed as we walked up to the doorway. The museum has four small rooms with artifacts from the site and other interesting exhibits, so take 30 minutes and visit.

You can read about the Taj Mahal in many places, so I will not elaborate here. I will say that it is absolutely breathtaking and a MUST SEE in your lifetime, this coming from someone who has traveled to 51 countries and having seen many of the most beautiful and famous attractions in the World. Even though the tour guide lied to me about the museum, normally a deal breaker, he took 4+ hours out of his day to show us around Agra, so I gave him a 500 rupee tip ($8.20 - he probably would have gotten 1,000 rupees if he had not lied), a small price to pay for an experience of a lifetime.

CombatCritic Gives The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort 10 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Title: DayTripQuip: New Delhi to Agra ... The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort

Key Words: Agra, New Delhi, new, delhi, Taj Mahal, taj, mahal, fort, taxi, bus, train, travel, tour, day, trip, quip, DayTripQuip, CombatCritic, value

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CombatCritic QandA: (McLeod Ganj, H.P, India) Are there places to stay with kitchenettes?

Q:

las habitaciones tienen kitchenette? (Are there places to stay with kitchenettes?)

CLAUDIAGESELL  

villa gesell

A:

There are apartments with kitchens/kitchenettes available, but you're going to have to look once you get there. Stay in a hotel for a day or two and ask locals. You'll find something fairly quickly at a low price if you like. Gandhi House (below Pink House) has rooms with kitchenettes, but may require a long-term stay (one month or more. Ask the staff at Mountain Lion Cafe, they may know.  Tell them CombatCritic sent you.  Hope this helps!

Best wishes,

CombatCritic

You can find questions and answers to many of your concerns about hotels, restaurants, attractions, and destinations on "CombatCritic QandA" and watch videos orienting you to McLeod Ganj on my YouTube channel, so feel free to contact me for details.

Title:  McLeod Ganj, H.P, India: Are there places to stay with kitchenettes?

Key Words: McLeod Ganj, mcleod, ganj, kitchenette, kitchen, hotel, apartment, dharmasala, dharamshala, India, travel, doubts, concern, question, answer, CombatCritic. TravelValue, travel, value

CombatCritic QandA: McLeod Ganj, India) Solo Female Has Doubts And Questions About Travel

Q:

Hey there,

Want to visit Mcloedganj and Dharamshala solo. i have some doubts.

1. which place is more appropriate to stay ? Mcleodganj and Dharamshala ?

2. Does your hotel provide taxi or cab facility to roam around the city or to go tourist attractions.

3. Is it safe to travel alone?

4. Any other thing i need to cautious about ?

Thanks.

Nehadixit, New Delhi, India

A:

Dear Nehadixit,

Want to visit Mcloedganj and Dharamshala solo ... have no doubts!

1. which place is more appropriate to stay ? Mcleodganj and Dharamshala ?

Dharamsala has little to offer. McLeod Ganj is where all the action is ... the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people, monasteries, yoga, meditation, NGOs, restaurants, hiking/trekking, clean air, beautiful scenery

2. Does your hotel provide taxi or cab facility to roam around the city or to go tourist attractions.

You don't need a cab unless you want to travel outside of town. Everything is within walking distance of McLeod Ganj ... Bhagsu Village, St Johns, Dharamkot, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archive, etc ... or a short, cheap bus ride away

3. Is it safe to travel alone?

McLeod Ganj is extremely safe for men and women, being inhabited by Tibetans primarily. Partly because of their Buddhist beliefs, they are very compassionate, peaceful, and kind people.

4. Any other thing i need to cautious about ?

Not really, but pick a hotel wisely. There are many to choose from, ranging from 200 to 3,000+ rupees per night depending on your tastes. The Tse Chok Ling Monastery sits on a hill overlooking the valley, is extremely peaceful, and a great value at 600 rupees per night. You can read reviews of hotels, restaurants, and attractions on my blog and watch videos orienting you to McLeod Ganj on my YouTube channel, so feel free to contact me for details.

Good luck!

CombatCritic

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Title: Solo Female Has Doubts And Questions About Traveling To McLeod Ganj


Key Words: McLeod Ganj, mcleod, ganj, dharmasala, dharamshala, India, travel, doubts, concern, question, answer, CombatCritic. TravelValue, travel, value

One Tough, Compact, Well-Priced Backpack ... "Highly Recommended"

High Sierra Classic Series 59201 Summit 45 Backpack

We bought this backpack on Amazon.com for a 4-month trip to India, knowing that we would frequently be moving from place to place and that the condition of roads and sidewalks would not be conducive to rolling suitcases. 

There was plenty of room for 2-3 days worth of clothing, accessories, toiletries, and even a laptop (and cord), having a large inner compartment, three exterior compartments, two mesh exterior sleeves, and numerous velcro loops, buckles, and other devices to attach things to.

The material is lightweight, but durable, holding-up well to the demands of multiple trips via train, bus, car, and plane and compact enough to fit into the smallest overhead compartments.  In-fact, we traveled by plane internationally and domestically, carrying-on our backpacks on even the smallest aircraft. The backpack is comfortable to wear with padded shoulder straps, an adjustable chest strap, and a padded waist buckle to keep the pack secure during the most arduous journeys. After four months, the backpack looks nearly as new as the day I bought it and everything functions as advertised.

For the price ($54.99), this is one tough, compact, well-made bag and definitely worth every penny. 

CombatCritic Gives The High Sierra Classic Series 59201 Summit 45 A Coveted "10 Bombs Out Of 10" ... More Bombs Are Better!

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Title: One Tough, Compact, Well-Priced Backpack ... Highly Recommended by CombatCritic

Key Words: High Sierra, high, sierra, summit, 59201, 45, litre, backpack, nylon, zipper, tough, compact, Amazon, Amazon.com, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value