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This is the Travel Journal of Andy HoboTraveler.com
Daily Travel Tip
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Thanks to Mom, Dad, Family and Friends and Boy Genius From India
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Haiti Airport Orphanage Transportation
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It is now two days after I entered Haiti, sometimes I live by just my instincts and wit, at the conscious level I am not sure what I am doing, it take a couple of days to realize what happened.
I walked up to Jasmine in the Fort Lauderdale, Airport and opened a conversations, I had two goals.
1. Find my first Hotel in Haiti, and approximate price in Port-au-Prince.
2. Learn what is the best form of transportation from the Airport to a Hotel.
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Léogane, Haiti - Thursday, Friday, November 6, 2009
OperationLoveTheChildrenOfHaiti.org
18 751098E - 2047382N
 Travel Gear Haiti Hotels
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Jasmine was animated, she is passionate, full of energy, sort of rat-a-tat-tat person, it was I was going to be fed to the Haitian Lions. I was not too concerned about the Taxis; I knew I had time on my side and the ability to say no to anyone on the planet. I knew all I had to do was continue to say no to everyone and anyone until an acceptable person and offer crossed in front of me.
Jasmine did not know much about Hotels in Port-au-Prince, but she did know how to find an ATM machines in Haiti. I know she was right; I also needed to hunt for money. I suppose my priorities should have been,
1. Money
2. Choose first target Hotel.
3. Find transportation from airport to the target Hotel.
I was not having any luck with the Lonely Planet, all the hotels appeared to start at about 35 US dollars and I have a target budget for Haiti of 10 Dollars per night. This is an average, not a hard coded price, if I live for free for four nights, I could opt to pay 50 for one night, but the average needs to come in around 10 Dollars U.S.
Jasmine explained the Haitian money, gave me here telephone number, email and was willing to commit herself to talking with me, and offered help. She told me of a room for 10 dollars she knew of about five miles from her home for children. She said,
“Let me talk to my husband.”
I would say, or guess or think she was sizing me up, trying to decide what to do with me, when we got of the plane, she introduced me to her husband, and they talked, and then decided to invite me to their home for children. While walking off the plane, I also met an oriental looking man by the name of Jay, a Doctor from the USA, he said,
“You are not taking a taxi from the airport.”
Hmm, this is highly unusual, and the Lonely Planet said the tax price was 20 dollars, I had already made up my mind to take a Tap Tap, the local public transportation that was to cost about 15 cents U.S. The taxi was off the list because of being too high priced, however, this comment, you are not taking a taxi was intriguing to me, this was too committal people do not force help on you.
People are Picked Up at Haiti Airport
I would guestimate that about 98 percent of tourist, travelers, missionaries or whatnot who visit Haiti are met at the airport, very few people are taking taxis or tap taps. The Port-au-Prince airport was clean, happy, organized and easy, and I said thanks to Jay and took a ride with Greg and Jasmine to the SongeBank to use my ATM card.
The transmission stopped working, there was third and fourth gear, but truly the only way it was out of gear was when the clutch was pressed. This is the SongeBank in Port-au-Prince that has an ATM machine; I believe as of November 2009 that SongeBank may be the only bank in the country that has ATM machines.
Greg and Jasmine waiting for another car to come and tow us to a mechanic.
Many United Nations vehicles passed by while we waited for the mechanic to come.
This is Rosy, a 16-year-old girl who lives in the house of Jasmine and Greg, with the other 35-40 children.
I took a video of us getting towed to the Mechanic, I am trying to upload it to YouTube.com, but the Digitel Flash chip connection in the Orphanage signal continues to break, I will try again at 3:00 tomorrow to see if I can get it up, then show you the rest of the story.
It has been a bad day in the house, after having a blocked toilet in the lower area of the house; they finally broke the floor and found the septic tank. It is full and needs cleaning, they were quite frustrated; the plumber said he could get it pumped for 500 dollars. What can you say, this is nuts, but what can they do, they have 35 children and they need this toilet to work.
Welcome Haiti, where the locals will ask a White Man 500 Dollars for a 50 dollar job, for a home full of Haitian orphans.
I do not know what to say, they live by donations of Churches, people and the good will of the world. I suppose there are two camps of orphanages, the ones that are great at raising money and ignore the children, and the ones that love the children and are not good at raising the money.
I think they need the money, I am told they have a paypal.com link on their site; somebody needs to go and click it today. If you click on mine, I will also give them the money.
What do they do, they take in malnutrition, ready-to-die children, and feed them and love them until they have a life again, snatching them before death does.
Haiti Airport Orphanage Transportation
Poverty | Social Issues that concern travelers and tourist | Street Children | Transportation | Volunteer | Volunteer Abroad |
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Map to Léogane Haiti and a Hobo
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I landed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti yesterday and now I am in the city of Léogane, Haiti located about 20 miles West of Port-au-Prince. Greg and Jasmine took me under their wing at the airport, I felt like a true Hobo. They brought me to their home where they feed, cloth and care for up to 40 children, I think there is about 35 small ones in the home right now, plus one extra large American boy called Andre en French.
I initially was planning on traveling immediately for Port Salut, but landed here in Léogane in an interesting home away from home situation, I had a fried egg for breakfast, cooked by Jasmine a French Canadian married to Greg from California running this group home for children.
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Léogane, Haiti - Thursday, November 5, 2009
OperationLoveTheChildrenOfHaiti.org
18 751098E - 2047382N
Travel Gear Haiti Hotels
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I have been fully engaged in the lives of small children for the last 24 hours, it is truly refreshing to see so many children in one location. They tend to line up to get hugs, one after another, waiting in their turn. The shy ones come up close, edging ever closer, the slowly I put my large arms around them and bring them in, giving them something they need, or maybe I needed this.
A serendipitous situation brought me here, I tend to believe these children will help me.
OperationLoveTheChildrenOfHaiti.org
Map to Léogane Haiti and a Hobo
Maps |
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Haiti Day One as HoboTraveler.com
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I am in an Orphanage West of Port au Prince 20 miles. I received three car offers on the plane. The foreighners were worried about me because I had no plan.
Why plan,they always change?
I have have hugged, held, and got to understand more children in one day than in the whole last year. They lined up to hug when we arrived at orphanage.
This is a good, real, and needed orphanage.
OperationLoveTheChildrenOfHaiti.Org
No electricity now I am on an HTC Touch Pro 2 that uses the Verizon Global data plan.
Thanks Andy
It is 1:19 am, jetlag is still doing is job on me.
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New York City Photos 2009
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New York City Photos 2009
Here are a few glances at the city of New York as seen through the eyes of man from the state of Indiana.
This is a man walking around with a signboard advertising haircuts for 11 Dollars.
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Fort Lauderdale Airport - Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Travel Gear USA Hotels
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New York City street corner food vender.
Cute girl with a fur jacket, it looked real, but I was not able to touch.
I believe this is lettuce, but I am still not sure.
This is Freddy, I stopped and asked him where 3rd Street was and he pointed many blocks away, somehow we readjusted to 3rd Avenue and East 46 Street and he said right ahead. He walks around the downtown areas all day hand delivering package, this is the type of person I need to meet in every country.
Hey, I am not from New York, but I think that is the Empire State Building in the distance, the one I see in movies.
A girls walking off the “Zebra,” I think the United Nations should discuss people walking on the Zebra, I am sure it would save many lives. I for sure think cars kill more than Swine Flu or Aids, but what do I know…
I have arrived at my destination, rather a big world for a man from Indiana, then again after 85 countries, I guess this is city, I know cities.
I am there; Christine says to go the 23rd Floor.
I am early; I chased down a strong cup of coffee.
Pret "Just Made"
organic when we can always preservative free
Yes, this feel like my image of New York, an expensive coffee in a paper cup, then running to a meeting in a too tall building full of suits. I guess I forgot my suit.
I think “Pret” is a French word, this is good, I am in training for Haiti where they speak French, hmm, I bet this is not the image they are trying to associate with their coffee.
Wake up world, it is 5:41 am in the Fort Lauderdale Airport, I somehow manage to sleep in this airport, I am at gate H5 waiting to leave.
New York City Photos 2009
Americanism | Travel Destinations |
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Airline Forces You to Check in Carry-On
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The majority of travelers on USA Domestic flights appear to only have carry-on bags, few people checked their bags. There appears too many carry on bags for the plane overhead compartments.
I walked down to the luggage carousal to pick up my checked bag, there was only about eight people waiting, this is strange, what is up with this?
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New York City - United States of America - Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Travel Gear USA Hotels
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A very nice woman I met in the Chicago Airport was standing next to me at the luggage carousal. She said,
“They forced me to check my bag.”
She shows me the ticket, yep, she went all the way to the gate with her carry on bag, and because there was too many carry on bag there was not enough overhead compartment storage for all the bags. The airline forced here to check her bag, and subsequently she had to go to the baggage claim area and wait for her bag.
I think this 20 Dollar per bag fee could backfire as the majority of travelers in the USA opt for only the carry on option. I am sure, and in a way hope they enforce the rules, in my estimate, about 80 percent of all carry on bags are larger than 9 x 14 x 22 inches. Then again, there is not standard size, the new luggage debacle is coming, a great reality soap opera.
I enjoy listening to the indignation of travelers, ooh boy; this is going to be fun when the airlines start to enforce the rules already in place. I am quite sure few of the carry on bags are the correct size. I can hear it now,
“I purchased a carry on.”
Oops, nobody told you, that bag is too big for a carry one, did you measure it, here is a good link talking about the size of carry one, another way for airlines to squeeze you with rules.
Carry On Luggage Guidelines
I was wondering, if all the bags are in the top of the plane, does that mean these planes are flying top heavy? Maybe they will start doing exciting rolls as they flip over in flight.
Airline Forces You to Check in Carry On
Backpack | Carry-On Luggage | Travel Luggage Links |
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New York Hotel versus Philippines Hotel
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I am in a great Hotel in New York City, it cost about 127 dollars per night, and I asked myself
“What is the difference between this room, and my nice one in the Bauang, Philippines?”
Note - The Majority of Hotels in the Philippines are annoyingly bad, however the Bali Hai East in Bauang, La Union, Philippines was special.
Video of my Traveler Nest Hotel in
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New York City - United States of America - Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Travel Gear USA Hotels
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NEW YORK HOTEL
1. Bigger TV
2. Furniture is wood
3. Appliances, iron, hair dryer, ironing board.
4. Hangers in closet
5. More towels
6. Water pressure is better
7. Curtains will block out sun, heavy duty.
8. Light next to bed
9. Pictures on walls
10. Carpet
11. Clock
BAUANG PHILIPPINES
1. Swimming Pool outside my door.
2. Restaurant overlooking swimming pool.
It is rather humorous, there is so little difference between the two Hotels; it is obvious to me that the Philippines Hotel could be the same level of quality for less than 300 Dollars. However, somehow because of location this New York one cost 127 and the one in Bauang, Philippines cost me 12 Dollars per night. This New York Hotel chain has made better choices, they have designed the room to function or never disturb me, there are not many annoyances.
Truly sad, the 100-dollar difference in hotel prices is so small, in a way when I talk about my Travelers Nest, I am trying to explain how I convert a 12 Dollar room to a 120 Dollar room. Which room is better for living?
The Bauang, Philippines is better, the Hotel ambience is better, but in the end, the areas around this Hotel is a little bleak, nothing USA, it is close to La Guardia Airport, and that does imply, I will be leaving soon. I sometimes tell owners of tourist hotels,
“If a traveler stops in your hotel and stays more than a week your hotel is good, if people only stay one night, they vote with their feet.”
When a person says to me, they lived in a Hotel for a month, I listen, and there was something about the Hotel that was special.
New York Hotel versus Philippines Hotel
Choosing a Hotel | Hotel Design |
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