Questions about trip to the US

[mogandave]

Hey everybody,

We just got back from a great trip and I wanted to thank you all again for your advice.

The flights were long and expectedly uncomfortable, but the movie tablets in the seat backs kept the kids entertained. It had been so long since I had flown that I didn't know they would be there. If I had known, I wouldn't have wasted a bunch of time planning on how to entertain the kids on the flight. They never even asked for the ipads.

We lucked out with Payless car rental. Very cheap rate and I just happened to be there at the right time to get a nearly new Grand Caravan with lots of features. When it pulled up beside me I had been resigning myself to selecting between three older POS's. Had we been trapped in one of them for the month it would have been a sour note throughout the trip. But the one we got was great. Moral, if you like gambling, give Payless a try.

Payless was ok with my Thai drivers license, but asked for a US Passport to go with it. Not sure how they would have felt about a foreign passport at that point, but I doubt they turn anybody's money away.

Did not have any interactions with the police, although I did my best by pulling an illegal U'ey in front of Alameda's finest. I did get honked at a couple times on the first day for being too far right in the lane.

Thanks again for the advice regarding car seats. We just needed a booster which I ordered from Amazon before we left and which was waiting for us at the hotel.

Not so much luck with the SIM cards I ordered from ebay. The seller claimed to have sent them regular post so no idea where that fell apart. Ended up getting a burner from Target. But a SIM card for my smart phone would have been more convenient. Next time.

Wi-Fi is everywhere, and it's actually free. Except on the road of course. (By the end of the trip I had figured out that I could use google maps to get directions, then "preview" the directions step by step on the road, while the phone's gps showed where I was on the map.)

We road tripped from San Diego to the Bay area. I had been having second thoughts that this was a waste of a couple days, but it turned out to be time well spent for a group of people that had never seen the US. Of course, the comfortable van was instrumental in this.

Re health insurance: good thing to have. We didn't. And I brought the latest bug with us on the plane ("You're welcome!"). The whole family was pretty sick the first week. I brought two of my kids to Urgent Care during that time. $600 and $900 for what would have been a few thousand baht at most here in Thailand.

Thanks again.

Glad to hear you had a good time.

[Rob13]

sounds like a good trip

[55Jay]

You managed to go a whole month in the US without being shot, shot at, or beaten and raped by illegal aliens, gang members, the police, or wild eyed red necks and/or angry christians? LOL.

Indeed, transitioning back to toilet paper is a real bummer. My Mrs. picks up those packets of moist baby wipes. It's better than nothing. Returning to the bum gun here lent to the feeling of finally being "home". Ahhhhh!

Welcome back, glad you had a good trip.

[Lancashirelad]

Thanks for coming back and updating us all who offered well meant advice, so few bother.

Glad everything worked out ok but perhaps you have learned from it that Travel Insurance should be a priority.