Home Again!

Woke up in Florida this morning for the first time in almost three weeks. Though I was only suppose to stay in Ohio for 12 days, a last minute extension (at the behest of my aunt) of one week was added to my trip. It was totally worth it and she really needed my help.

All in all, I had a great time in Ohio! Considering that I am going away for school in January, I will probably not visit again till Heart Camp in September 2016 (will post pics in a future post).

Well, time to move on to the next chapter in my life! :D

Never Forget!

September 11th is a day that no American can ever forget. I know I certainly will NEVER forget what happen that day 14 years ago nor will I forget where I was.

My mom and I (7 years old) were at the Nationwide Children's Hospital (then the Columbus Children's Hospital) in Columbus, OH. I remember watching the frightening videos clip playing over and over again, in a children's hospital no less.

I continue to pray for those who lost their family and friends on that fateful day. Hopefully, we as a nation will always remember who we were on the 12th.

Back to Ohio

Next month I will be traveling up to Ohio for Heart Camp, as I usually do every September. I have been attending Heart Camp every year (excluding years 2012 and 2013 due to other travels) since I was 7 years old, first as a "Camper" then as a "Counselor" when I turned 15.

While Heart Camp and family/friends are the reason I want to go up, Allegiant Air is the reason I can go up. Allegiant Air is my favorite domestic airline as I am always able to get REALLY cheap flights. Their main East-Coast hub is about an 1hr north of me in Sanford, FL (SFB). They have direct flights from SFB to Asheville, NC (AVL) and Columbus, OH via the Rickenbacker Airport (LCK).

The key to keeping costs low while flying on Allegiant Air, is to NOT use any of their paid features. Such as, skip their online seat selection (I let the computer assign me at check-in), do not have any checked or carry-on bags (I only use a school sized backpack which they consider my free "personal item"), skip priority boarding (a really pointless waste of money) and most recently check-in online via their phone app to get a digital boarding pass or online via a link they send to your e-mail and print out your boarding pass (they now charge $5 for check-ins as the airport and boarding pass print outs). Oh, I almost forgot, use a debit card! They will charge a fee for credit cards and even with a good rewards card it is NOT worth it. Also, I guess this does not need to be said but, I will say it anyway: DON'T buy snacks and drinks on the plane, so NOT worth the costs. They will give you a free cup of ice if you ask though.

So, those are some tips for saving money on airfare. I strongly suggest that you see if Allegiant Air flies to an airport near you. Do remember that they do not do connecting flights, only direct flights.