Latest news with #roadtrip
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man Says He Was Disinvited from Group Trip He Planned After He Refused to Split This One Cost
A man says he was disinvited from a trip he planned after he refused to split one of the costs The man initially arranged a trip with his brother that soon turned into a group outing, he wrote on Reddit. When the group expanded beyond who would fit in his car, he says, he was unwilling to pay an extra $1000 to rent a car He then discovered he'd been removed from the group chatA man says he carefully crafted a travel itinerary for his brother and friends, then one big expense got him disinvited from his own trip. The traveler shared his frustration in a post on Reddit's "Am I the A------" forum, claiming the unexpected drama left him questioning whether or not he did the right thing. He opens the post by noting that the trip to an unnamed big city for the weekend was originally going to be for just him and his brother, but quickly expanded to include several of his brother's friends. Related: Loose Pigeons Wreak Havoc on Delta Flight as Passengers Are Seen Screaming in Viral Video They chose dates and hotels, the original poster (OP) explains. For transportation, he planned to drive everyone in his car. After the details were hashed out, a friend of a friend, Adam, who "wasn't part of the plan at all" said he wanted to join, not for vacation, but because he had a business trip in the same city and wanted a lift, the OP claims. Including Adam would push the number of people over the limit that could fit in his car. Instead of finding another driver and splitting up the group into two cars, the OP says they decided to rent a larger vehicle. The added cost would be $1000 for five days, he claims, 'Just to make room for Adam, who wasn't even vacationing with us.' The OP put his foot down, telling the group he wouldn't spend the extra money. 'I didn't think it was fair to take on that extra cost just to accommodate someone who wasn't part of our group,' he wrote. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: She Called Off Her Wedding. Then She Took Her Honeymoon with a Different Man Instead (Exclusive) The next day, the OP says, he found out that the other guys had started a new group chat — and he wasn't part of it. Soon he received a text from his brother asking if he would be 'okay with not going' on the trip. "I didn't back out — I got pushed out of the trip I planned,' the OP wrote. 'I'm pretty upset, especially since my own brother was part of it,' he confessed. 'I didn't make it about money or control — I just didn't want to foot the bill for someone else's business trip.' In the comments, fellow Reddit users offered up their opinions on the man's story. 'Your brother and his friends then acted like entitled children, created drama, and excluded you,' wrote one person. 'Good riddance to that trip with them, honestly. Let them deal with Adam and the rental. You did nothing wrong by standing your ground.' While another user offered some advice: 'Take a nice trip somewhere by yourself if you can afford it." Read the original article on People
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
How much of Route 66 remains after a century?
Q We love the American highways and are already looking ahead to the centenary of Route 66 next year. How much of the actual road remains, and do you recommend an end-to-end journey? Adrian P A The 'Mother Road' was born on 11 November 1926, running for 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, the Los Angeles suburb on the Pacific Ocean. For the following three decades it carried millions of Americans migrating west to the Golden State in search of better lives. But in 1956 the Federal-Aid Highway Act created the interstate network of freeways that obliterated many of the old roads. Interstate 40 supersedes Route 66 for much of the journey. As a result, anyone harking back to the glory days of transcontinental road trips across the US may be sadly disappointed. In the 21st century, the heritage value of Route 66 has been more appreciated. Springfield Illinois, southeast of Chicago, has some traces. They continue sporadically, with elements such as the Route 66 State Park Visitor Center just outside St Louis, Missouri, and the iconic signpost at the end of the trail at Santa Monica pier. But my favourite stretch is in California: connecting Victorville with San Bernardino, over a mountain range. Both towns have another key element of Americana. San Bernardino was the location chosen in December 1940 by Richard and Maurice McDonald for a new restaurant on the corner of 14th and E Streets, now a shrine to the fast-food revolution. At the Southern California Logistics Airport outside Victorville, great American planes (as well as the odd Airbus) touch down to grow old beneath the desert sun. Victorville also has an excellent Route 66 Museum. You can easily access this stretch from either Las Vegas or Los Angeles on a two-day road trip. For me, that would be enough. Q I am going for a family visit to Northern Ireland. I was hoping to spend a day going out to the Gobbins Cliff Path, but I understand it is closed until August at least because of a rockfall. What would you suggest instead? Anthony W A Take a trip around Strangford Lough, east of Belfast. It is shaped roughly like a dolphin and is officially 'the largest seawater inlet in Ireland and the UK'. The lough is also a marine conservation zone; a quarter of the world's population of pale-bellied Brent geese turn up there from Greenland each autumn. You can make a rewarding circuit of the lough thanks to a ferry link across the narrow channel at the southern end. A car will be near-essential. Going clockwise, start at Bangor: a former mill town turned seaside resort. Then head for Newtownards at the northern end of Strangford Lough. Start the circuit along the lough-side road. First stop: Mount Stewart – a magnificent 19th-century mansion belonging to the National Trust. The next village along is Greyabbey. The abbey ruins date from the 12th century. Lately, Greyabbey has become a hub for antique/vintage/craft shops. The peninsula offers two coasts for the price of one, so veer across to the eastern shore for a fine view (weather permitting) of the Mull of Galloway in southwest Scotland and possibly the Isle of Man. It's a good drive along to the end of the lough and Portaferry – which, you may not be amazed to learn, is a ferry port. An eight-minute boat ride takes you across the narrow neck of water to the town of Strangford, with a postcard-perfect waterfront and good places to eat and drink. Just outside: the National Trust property of Castle Ward, which played the part of Winterfell Castle (home of the Stark family) in Game of Thrones. Continue to the town of Downpatrick. Here, you can turn sharp right to travel along the western shore of the lough; steer straight back to Belfast on the A7; or go west to Banbridge for the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. Q What are your thoughts on visiting Romania? If you recommend it, which city do you prefer and how long should I stay? Paul Y A Romania receives far fewer visitors from the UK than it should, given the nation's natural beauty, fascinating heritage and friendly people. I have been travelling there on and off for the past four decades and will return in July. Ideally, you should plan a trip of at least two weeks to make a full circuit of the nation, which is almost as large as the UK. I shall pick out my highlights, so you can decide which and how many to include. Public transport is intermittent in many rural areas, so a rental car is a good idea if you want to explore deeply – starting with Transylvania, at the nation's heart. You can fly direct to many Romanian cities from the UK but I recommend Wizz Air from Luton to Brasov (where, in unusual circumstances, I was arrested for spying on my first visit). The city provides an excellent introduction to the Carpathian landscape and medieval architecture, including Saxon walls, which hint at the lands beyond. The countryside is peppered with Saxon villages such as Viscri, which are slowly being brought back to life – thanks in no small part to tourism. Northeast from here, the swathe of territory south from the Ukrainian border, taking in Suceava and Iasi, has some astonishing painted monasteries. If you choose to stay in Iasi for at least a night, try the Neuscotz Palace: a former banker's mansion that is now the Hotel Select. Bucharest, home to nearly 2 million people, is a good place to end your trip. As with so many capitals, it is unrepresentative of the wider nation but still rewarding. The 'Paris of the East', it may not be. But with appealing neo-classical mansions, places of worship and the vast Palace of Parliament – said (by the tourist office) to be 'the heaviest and the most expensive building in the world' – there is much to enjoy. In addition, prices are far lower than in western Europe, so you can live indulgently on the excellent food and drink. Q Can you recommend an itinerary around Jamaica? I want to see as much as possible in nine days. Name supplied A Jamaica is unlike the average Caribbean island. Its sheer size – more than half the area of Wales – and geographical diversity make it ripe for exploration. The nation is also made for a circuit. It doesn't matter whether you arrive or depart at Kingston or Montego Bay, but this itinerary assumes 'MoBay' as the starting point. Montego Bay is the hub for much Jamaican tourism, in the shape of all-inclusive resorts strung along the northwest coast. Call in at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre on Sam Sharpe Square, then follow the sun west to Negril. This is Jamaica's Land's End, and it feels suitably relaxed. Rick's Cafe is the place to go to watch the sunset, along with a can of Red Stripe. Head inland to find the biggest expanse of pure wilderness in the Caribbean: Cockpit Country, a vast slab of limestone eroded into a strange landscape. A series of domes is interrupted by deep ravines and smothered by impenetrable vegetation – impenetrable, that is, except to the Maroons, the escaped slaves who created a community here in the 17th century. Turn southeast to Mandeville, over 2,000 feet above the Caribbean: a hill station boasting the oldest golf course in the western Hemisphere. The capital, Kingston, is all about Bob Marley. A statue of the dreadlocked guitarist greets you as you walk through the gates of 56 Hope Road. He bought this rambling brick and clapperboard villa on the edge of Kingston 50 years ago, but sadly died of cancer six years later, aged 36. His former home is now a shrine. Oracabessa Bay on the north coast is home to GoldenEye: 'A collection of private villas, cottages and beach huts … set amid tropical gardens, private beaches and secluded coves.' Ian Fleming's Caribbean hideaway is now a luxury resort with prices to match. Further west, Ocho Rios is the cruise capital of Jamaica, with a couple of attractions on the edge of town: just to the south (on the road to Kingston), you can drive through Fern Gully – which feels as though you are tunnelling through the rainforest. And two miles out on the westbound coast road back towards Montego Bay, Dunn's River Falls comprises some pleasing cascades.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
China dog owner goes viral for taking pet on road trip, securing it in cage with funny sign
A Chinese man who embarked on a cross-country road trip with his carsick-prone dog went viral online after securing the canine in a custom-made cage attached to the back of his car, complete with a humorous sign. Advertisement On April 21, the dog owner, surnamed Hao, set off on a journey from Shanghai with his seven-month-old male Labrador, affectionately nicknamed Mimi, a name that playfully mimics the sound of a cat's miaow. Hao shared with Jimu News that Mimi tends to get carsick, making it challenging for him to travel comfortably inside the vehicle. To address this issue, he commissioned a custom cage, which he securely mounted to the rear of his Tesla. He discovered that Mimi was significantly more comfortable travelling in the fresh air. To solve Mimi's carsick problem, Hao commissioned a custom cage, which he securely mounted to the back of his Tesla and found that the dog was significantly more comfortable travelling in the fresh air. Photo: Baidu To enhance the travel experience even further, Hao covered the cage with black fabric to block sunlight and added a soft cushion inside to provide Mimi with a cosy surface to rest on.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AAA offers tips for a budget-friendly summer getaway
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – You may be planning a trip this summer and hoping to make it budget-friendly. AAA Northeast is sharing some money-saving steps for those interested. They say those planning a road trip should fill up their gas tank away from the highway. Stations close to it are more expensive than those further away. They also recommend booking flights during the week. The best price offered is usually on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And people wanting to get away should look into cruises. Adding rooms, dining, and entertainment is usually included. Naefia Pabi of Springfield told 22News,'This summer we are planning on going to Cancun! My daughter is the one who found the deal for us. The deal that she found is all inclusive, so that's perfect.' According to experts, the top places to visit in the country this summer include Las Vegas, New York City, and Myrtle Beach. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNET
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CNET
This $20 Belkin MagSafe Car Charger Is a Must-Have for Long Drives
Most of us use our phone GPS to get directions while we're on the road, so a car charger that keeps it front and center is a must for long drives. This sleek and simple Belkin wireless charger is one of our favorites on the market, and right now, you can pick it up at a great price. Woot currently has it on sale for just $20, which saves you a whopping $50 compared to the usual price. However, this deal is only available through June 3, and could sell out before then, so be sure to act fast. This compact wireless charger clips on to your car AC vents, and rotates so you can view your phone in either portrait or landscape mode. It's also MagSafe compatible and equipped with a powerful magnet to keep your device securely in place -- even on bumpy roads. It plugs into your vehicle's cigarette lighter with the included adapter and USB-C cable, and it delivers 15W wireless charging to keep your phone's battery juiced up during your drive. Why this deal matters This MagSafe car charger is one of our favorites on the market right now. It's easy to setup, compatible with all the latest iPhones and delivers 15 watts of power while you're on the road (faster than standard wireless charging) which makes it great for long or short drives. Plus, it's an absolute steal now that you can grab it for 75% off.
