Tipping and Mobile Phones
Apr 23rd, 2012, 03:44 AM
#41
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Monument Valley is ok, I like Arches far better. Arches is one of my favorite places ever. If you mean Four Corners National Monument, that is really no big deal at all. I don't think I would go out of my way for it unless you have plenty of time. Monument Valley is on an Indian Reservation. It is somewhat like a different country.
Durango is ok, the train is ok. But the train/zipline in Durango is really really neat, although terribly expensive.
Mesa Verde is a really neat place to stop at. I hope you get to see it.
We go to RMNP a few times. I like to stop in Boulder at the Whole Foods Store there(its a huge one right on the hwy)and stock up on picnic supplies. I like the Estes Park side better then the Grand Lake side. My favorite hike is The Lock/Skyline Pond. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road are both good drives.
I do hope you get to see Goblin Valley. Also there is really good slot canyon called Little Wildhorse that is within 10 minutes of GV. Both are fantastic.
Durango is ok, the train is ok. But the train/zipline in Durango is really really neat, although terribly expensive.
Mesa Verde is a really neat place to stop at. I hope you get to see it.
We go to RMNP a few times. I like to stop in Boulder at the Whole Foods Store there(its a huge one right on the hwy)and stock up on picnic supplies. I like the Estes Park side better then the Grand Lake side. My favorite hike is The Lock/Skyline Pond. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road are both good drives.
I do hope you get to see Goblin Valley. Also there is really good slot canyon called Little Wildhorse that is within 10 minutes of GV. Both are fantastic.
Apr 23rd, 2012, 06:21 AM
#44
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I'm no expert on this, but when I went to WalMart in Canada and bought a tracphone, I was unable to register and use it. Why? Because to activate it, you HAD to call and HAD to use a credit card with a Canadian address. I thought it was odd that a phone for travel requires you to be a local "citizen", but that was the case. On a good note, WalMart took the entire thing back -- opened -- and gave me a full refund when I explained the problem.
I'm not sure if the same might be true for phones purchased in the US by "foreign" citizens.
I'm not sure if the same might be true for phones purchased in the US by "foreign" citizens.
Apr 23rd, 2012, 06:56 PM
#47
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There is a Kohls department store in the same mall as the Best Buy. They have hairdryers and might be a tad higher, but it will save you from having to drive somewhere to find one.
You can go to Walgreens, along with Target or Wal Mart. There are locations near your hotel. Google map will help you find one. For low cost necessities, WalMart may suit you for all your needs in one place.
You can go to Walgreens, along with Target or Wal Mart. There are locations near your hotel. Google map will help you find one. For low cost necessities, WalMart may suit you for all your needs in one place.
Apr 23rd, 2012, 08:27 PM
#48
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I'm not sure why you think your phones won't work in the US. They won't work on Verizon which uses CDMA but you can simply buy a SIM card from one of the carriers that uses GSM (same as in Australia) so T-Mobile or AT&T. We've had friends/family come from Australia and get SIMS for their iphones, blackberries and various other varieties of phones without issue.
As far as tipping in restaurants in Colorado just double the tax. You'll have left around 17% which is perfectly acceptable for pretty much any situation. You might want to have a quick scan of bills before tipping though - when we first moved over from Australia we had tips automatically added (at least) a few times because we *sounded* foreign so it was a *courtesy* because we probably weren't aware of tipping customs in the US (of course no one gave us the *courtesy* of pointing it out).
Have fun!
As far as tipping in restaurants in Colorado just double the tax. You'll have left around 17% which is perfectly acceptable for pretty much any situation. You might want to have a quick scan of bills before tipping though - when we first moved over from Australia we had tips automatically added (at least) a few times because we *sounded* foreign so it was a *courtesy* because we probably weren't aware of tipping customs in the US (of course no one gave us the *courtesy* of pointing it out).
Have fun!
Apr 24th, 2012, 01:46 AM
#49
Original Poster
Thanks everyone. I think I'll try Kohls first for the hairdryer and maybe Target if I need to.
Hez, this is good info but we don't really understand how it works. We've had instances overseas where phones SHOULD work but simply don't and we could never figure out why. It can be very frustrating. My sister recently bought a SIM card especially for use in Europe but couldn't get it to work, a complete waste of money.
So is CDMA or GSM the same as quadband and triband? Our phones are not new, more like dumbphones than smartphones. We could try buying a SIM card but if the phone is locked to a different carrier it won't work. Also wouldn't the phone need to be triband or quadband, or is it only the American SIM card that we need?
I wish I understood technology more, it just makes my eyes glaze over.
Kay
Hez, this is good info but we don't really understand how it works. We've had instances overseas where phones SHOULD work but simply don't and we could never figure out why. It can be very frustrating. My sister recently bought a SIM card especially for use in Europe but couldn't get it to work, a complete waste of money.
So is CDMA or GSM the same as quadband and triband? Our phones are not new, more like dumbphones than smartphones. We could try buying a SIM card but if the phone is locked to a different carrier it won't work. Also wouldn't the phone need to be triband or quadband, or is it only the American SIM card that we need?
I wish I understood technology more, it just makes my eyes glaze over.
Kay
Apr 24th, 2012, 04:12 AM
#50
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It isn't just understanding the technology, I'm challenged there too. There are some places in the west where no cell phones work because there are no towers to transmit the signal for a carrier. My verizon phone did work in Canyonlands did work but my friend's ATT did not.
There are also many places where the geography of the area blocks transmission.
If you need to be connected all the time a satellite phone might work.
There are also many places where the geography of the area blocks transmission.
If you need to be connected all the time a satellite phone might work.
May 1st, 2012, 01:41 AM
#55
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Thanks everyone. I can't wait to BE there though not looking forward to the long flight and changing at LAX. I wish we had more options flying from Australia. After living in the UK where flights are so numerous and so cheap, Australia seems very limited and expensive. Oh well, it does have other things going for it! Better our weather than Britain's any day 
Kay
Kay
May 5th, 2012, 05:50 AM
#56
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"Canyoneering-I tipped $100.00 for a 6 hour tour"
Please come on one of my tours!
Just FYI, the usual pay for a driver/guide on a backcountry tour is around $10/hour and we have to prep and clean the vehicle before and after the tour. If we do a good job please consider a tip, if we don't beat us round the head ASAP! Driving these tours is only interesting if the customers are interesting, ask questions, yell STOP, see things and comment on them, tell us about yourself (we'll forget pretty quickly, unless it's worth putting on Facebook)
Please come on one of my tours!
Just FYI, the usual pay for a driver/guide on a backcountry tour is around $10/hour and we have to prep and clean the vehicle before and after the tour. If we do a good job please consider a tip, if we don't beat us round the head ASAP! Driving these tours is only interesting if the customers are interesting, ask questions, yell STOP, see things and comment on them, tell us about yourself (we'll forget pretty quickly, unless it's worth putting on Facebook)
May 5th, 2012, 11:07 AM
#57
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This was for two guides and we dangled from a rope for 6 hours, etc. Besides, you might make me ride in the back of your truck?
here is a link to my canyoneering with Desert Highlights in Moab. This trip was in Oregon, Iv'e been with them a couple of times.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0IatW7FqybsWUs
here is a link to my canyoneering with Desert Highlights in Moab. This trip was in Oregon, Iv'e been with them a couple of times.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0IatW7FqybsWUs
May 6th, 2012, 01:06 PM
#59
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Yes, Biff is a catahoula as far as we know, he was abandoned in Torrey and we adopted him. He has his own Facebook page too: https://www.facebook.com/BraveSirBiff
I can dangle you on a rope and then you won't need to be in the back of the truck, and you probably won't get nearly as wet as on your other trip! Nice pictures, looks like a great adventure.
I can dangle you on a rope and then you won't need to be in the back of the truck, and you probably won't get nearly as wet as on your other trip! Nice pictures, looks like a great adventure.
