U.S. tips

[tails]

Hey guys,

me and the girlfirend are travelling to germany and then on to the US in Jan/Feb next year. :D
We are both 21

we were wondering if you guys have any tips for us that we wont pick up from travel guides like the lonely planet etc. Tips you would only really 'learn' while travelling. what to do/not to do, where to go/not to go, food etc and just general tips.

We are going to:
Munich
New York
Breckenridge
Vegas
LA
San Francisco
Portland (to see a friend)
Hawaii

thanks guys, really appreciate it smile.gif

[snowman]

Hawaii go to Dukes and the royal Hawaiian hotel (big pink building) they both have great arvo cocktail bars :D

[Polaris]

Munich......Don't mention the war
New York....Don't wear a cowboy hat down near Harlem
Breckenridge... Go skiing
Vegas.......Don't mention your Dad's looking to get a higher rank in the Mafia
LA......Don't go and call the guys lifting weights on Venice Beach "pussies"
San Francisco Don't go around wearing a "I hate Gays" shirt
Portland.......Don't mention saving the forests
Hawaii....Don't go surfing on the North Shore and ley everyone know your an Ossie

[skichic]

Looks like Polaris has either had a liquid lunch or made it out of Tibet :rolleyes:

[chunky]

graemlins/big_laugh.gif

[skijacski]

If you are going to the USA and at any time in your life, you were booked by police, even for a naughty driving event, apply for a non-immigration visa! And when you have the interview and are asked how long, get a 5 year visa, (60 month) like Yeti has applied for!

You then don't have to register when you are 3 days from arriving in the USA and saves you heaps of time with immigration. When you arrive you must have the address and phone number of the place you are staying otherwise you will be held up for further interviews.

Yeti has the links I sent him and can advise you further.

When entering the USA, always say you are on holidays and going skiing, unless you are a public servant and have an Australian Government Passport and you are travelling for work, etc.

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/

Watch the video and it explains everything, but ask Yeti about it.

[Snow Yeti]

And the music on the video, you hear it everywhere at the consulate. It's played on every TV there ;)

[BlueHue]

I got asked if I was a pro skier once by customs when entering the US when I said I was there for a ski holiday. Must have had the right look going, shame about the lack of pro skiing technique to go with it.

Sounds like an awesome trip tails. Only been to a couple of those places briefly so not got much to add though unfortunately, although Pols advice seems pretty good to me tongue.gif

[Polaris]

Originally posted by skijacski:
If you are going to the USA and at any time in your life, you were booked by police, even for a naughty driving event, apply for a non-immigration visa! And when you have the interview and are asked how long, get a 5 year visa, (60 month) like Yeti has applied for!

You then don't have to register when you are 3 days from arriving in the USA and saves you heaps of time with immigration. When you arrive you must have the address and phone number of the place you are staying otherwise you will be held up for further interviews.

Yeti has the links I sent him and can advise you further.

When entering the USA, always say you are on holidays and going skiing, unless you are a public servant and have an Australian Government Passport and you are travelling for work, etc.

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/

Watch the video and it explains everything, but ask Yeti about it. I just rocked up at LAX with the form ticked for a 14 day ski holiday, they took the thumb print thing and of I went.......

Has it changed?

[skichic]

yes Pol, you must do it online now before you go, so they can check you out properly. Can probably dig up the linky.....

[Polaris]

:rolleyes: thanks SC

[chunky]

Oooh so that is in force now? Thought it was a rumour.

[Polaris]

so doing it online gets you a 60 month non immigration visa?
Any $'s involved?

[skichic]

Originally posted by chunky:
Oooh so that is in force now? Thought it was a rumour. starts mid Jan, you can apparently start doing them now for then.

[skichic]

Originally posted by Polaris:
so doing it online gets you a 60 month non immigration visa?
Any $'s involved? You have to do your entry card thingy online. No more filling out cards on the plane. Australians going for short visits (under 90 days maybe????) don't need a visa. But you still have to do the online entry thing.

[skichic]

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/

[skichic]

oh and you have to have one of the new passports with a microchip in it.

[Snow Yeti]

Originally posted by Polaris:
so doing it online gets you a 60 month non immigration visa?
Any $'s involved? You have to do it online AND have an interview / screened.

Yep, $155 application fee,
$12.20 platinum post packet
$28.50 visa fee
3 hours parking in the city ($36)
Time spent at the post office (30 mins), time spent at the consulate (2-3 hours+)
$18 for US Visa passport (5x5 cm)

Hmm I'm sure there was something else I had to pay for too!

[Snow Yeti]

There were people from Brisbane in line, they had to fly to Syd just for the interview!

[skijacski]

See the Yeti in Revelstoke thread, gives you more info on the USA visa.

[tails]

ok cool.
neither of us have had any trouble with the law (even for driving) and we are only going for about 50 days.
do we still need one of these visas???
i think on the website it says you only need one for 90 days or more. Am i correct?

[ 11.09.2008, 12:13 PM: Message edited by: tails ]

[skijacski]

90 days you are ok, but you must register online before you travel there. Go the the USA visa website and find out if you are ok doing it before you leave Australia rather than doing it while overseas before travelling to USA. Registration is a must 3 days before arriving.

[Altheau]

I am pretty sure that you can do it well before you leave, your online application is valid for 2 years and for multiple trips (you just log in and update the travel details, locations you are staying etc)

BUT this does not garentee you entry into the country =] I think it is a good idea being able to do it online and the fact that you can do it up to 2 yrs before hand, save stuffing around on the plane, and i am sure it saves them alot of time as well. (well grief any how)

[Snow Yeti]

By the way anyone getting the NIV visa, the fee was $25 USD but if you pay by credit card, it comes out as an int'l fee. Mine including conversion fee was $32 due to the low fee, so pay and you will save yourself $3.50 (local is $28.50 AUD) smile.gif

[rover]

Originally posted by skijacski:
90 days you are ok, but you must register online before you travel there. Go the the USA visa website and find out if you are ok doing it before you leave Australia rather than doing it while overseas before travelling to USA. Registration is a must 3 days before arriving. This is Ok if you passport is from a country in the "VISA waiver" program....a neighbor of mine is not an Aussie citizen, and is from another country that is not in the program (somewhere in Europe) and he is having to apply for a visitors visa.

[ausi ski bum]

Do you need an International driving licence in the US like you do in Japan or is it like NZ where the Aussie licence is fine.

[skijacski]

Like NZ, if you have a valid Australian licence you are ok.

[Vet]

btw, I think skijackski gets the recommendation for carexpress.com's car rates. btw, I think tyre chains can be required by the highway patrol in certain conditions even for 4wds, but car hire places say chains void the insurance.

Woo hoo. It looks like the Vets are well on the way to flying to Squaw on points in 2010 on vaustralia for moi and Qantas for Mrs Vet: unless v do a deal with citbank platinum cards.

[kort]

During last season in Breck, we did not see a single car using chains - regardless of how bad the conditions were. We had a tiny little 2WD VW Jetta for the season and managed to survive ok.
We just put on snowtyres and we were fine....

[kort]

Originally posted by skijacski:
90 days you are ok, but you must register online before you travel there. Go the the USA visa website and find out if you are ok doing it before you leave Australia rather than doing it while overseas before travelling to USA. Registration is a must 3 days before arriving. You sure about that? I found this on the embassy page...http://sydney.usconsulate.gov/consular/visas/niv/vwp.html

U.S. Announces Electronic Authorization System for Visa Waiver Travel

3 June 2008

From 1 August 2008, travelers using the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) may voluntarily provide their information electronically to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before traveling to the United States. The system does not affect travelers who have obtained a valid visa from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas.

Currently, citizens of VWP countries complete a written I-94W form providing basic biographic, travel, and eligibility information while en route to the U.S. Under the ESTA system, VWP travelers will provide this information to CBP online prior to their departure for the United States. Most travelers can expect to receive authorization within a few minutes; however, CBP advises that travelers plan to provide the information at least 72 hours in advance to avoid any last-minute delays.

Once the electronic system becomes mandatory, on January 12, 2009, all travelers entering the United States for temporary business or pleasure under the VWP will need to receive an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a U.S.-bound airplane or cruise ship.

[Vet]

Originally posted by kort:
During last season in Breck, we did not see a single car using chains - regardless of how bad the conditions were. We had a tiny little 2WD VW Jetta for the season and managed to survive ok.
We just put on snowtyres and we were fine.... I only mention it because I've seen US ski forums gripe about the Californian highway patrol turning chainless cars back. And I recall a multi-car pile up near the entrance to Squaw Valley last January where the outside of the drivers door was covered in red stuff.

[skijacski]

Originally posted by kort:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by skijacski:
90 days you are ok, but you must register online before you travel there. Go the the USA visa website and find out if you are ok doing it before you leave Australia rather than doing it while overseas before travelling to USA. Registration is a must 3 days before arriving. You sure about that? I found this on the embassy page...http://sydney.usconsulate.gov/consular/visas/niv/vwp.html

U.S. Announces Electronic Authorization System for Visa Waiver Travel

3 June 2008

From 1 August 2008, travelers using the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) may voluntarily provide their information electronically to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before traveling to the United States. The system does not affect travelers who have obtained a valid visa from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas.

Currently, citizens of VWP countries complete a written I-94W form providing basic biographic, travel, and eligibility information while en route to the U.S. Under the ESTA system, VWP travelers will provide this information to CBP online prior to their departure for the United States. Most travelers can expect to receive authorization within a few minutes; however, CBP advises that travelers plan to provide the information at least 72 hours in advance to avoid any last-minute delays.

Once the electronic system becomes mandatory, on January 12, 2009, all travelers entering the United States for temporary business or pleasure under the VWP will need to receive an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a U.S.-bound airplane or cruise ship. </font>[/QUOTE]Yep, that is exactly what I meant, 72 hours = 3 days, and that is from January 09, if you do not have a visa, which I have. ;) ;)

[skijacski]

Originally posted by Vet:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by kort:
During last season in Breck, we did not see a single car using chains - regardless of how bad the conditions were. We had a tiny little 2WD VW Jetta for the season and managed to survive ok.
We just put on snowtyres and we were fine.... I only mention it because I've seen US ski forums gripe about the Californian highway patrol turning chainless cars back. And I recall a multi-car pile up near the entrance to Squaw Valley last January where the outside of the drivers door was covered in red stuff. </font>[/QUOTE]In Utah they turn chainless 2wheeldrives, but not chainless 4x4's back, and that is nearly every powder day. I certainly would not drive in the snow areas without a 4x4. Rugged Rentals all the way!

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_7_22.gifhttp://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D12%252F12_7_22/image.gif (http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNxdm824YYAU%2526i%253D12 %252F12%255F7%255F22%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html)

[Vet]

the rates at carexpress.com look great for a 4x4 kluger/highlander. I and Taxman better check the citibank platiumum cover for the insurance excess and 3rd party property and third person injury cover.

[holo]

I hadn't heard of this online visa thingy. I am off to Colorado for 16 days in Jan/Feb and didn't know I needed to complete it. Thanks for the heads up smile.gif

[kort]

Originally posted by Vet:
I only mention it because I've seen US ski forums gripe about the Californian highway patrol turning chainless cars back. And I recall a multi-car pile up near the entrance to Squaw Valley last January where the outside of the drivers door was covered in red stuff. [/QB]I am guessing chain laws differ from state to state..... :) CO seems to be pretty lax!

[tails]

thanks for the tips guys

[chunky]

bump

Do they have the turn on red light rule that Canada has/had when I was there a few years back?

[karen97]

Yep

[chunky]

Gotta get used to that when I am over there.

[karen97]

It's the 4 way stop signs that freak me out! :eek: It feels like Russian Roulette sometimes

[AndDee]

Originally posted by karen97:
It's the 4 way stop signs that freak me out! :eek: It feels like Russian Roulette sometimes Yep I hate those!!! But they actually work quite well and everyone is quite paitent!

[chunky]

I forgot about those!

[Vet]

fyi there's coupons for up to $23US off on lift tix (eg northtar becomes $US56) at snowbomb.com, as well as 10% off some hotels, and 10% off ski hire.

[Jahoota]

If your in LA and in anyway love old mechanical stuff, the 2 must do's are the:

planes of fame museum
http://www.planesoffame.org/

the peterson museum.
http://www.petersen.org/

[Vet]

Hoots, if you like old planes see untied.com

[Vet]

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[Vet]

I assume thiswon't apply to Australian kids but if anyone can check...


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