Planning a Vacation is Hard Work

I have spent so many hours researching Croatia, ferry routes, flight schedules, island cities, mileage points, credit card points, hotels, b&bs....aah!! I know, I shouldn't complain about planning a vacation, but damn it's a lot of work. I think I have figured out a way to use credit card points to pay for nearly all of my flights, which is awesome because airfare is ridiculously expensive right now. Here are the places I will hopefully be hitting: Bologna, Pescara, Hvar, Brac, Split, Trogir, Plitvice National Park, Zagreb. Too ambitious? Help me pare the list!

Also, I think I promised updates on a few things:
1) Hertz Lost and Found - I did get back my broadband card! They were willing to send it to me but I ended up having to drive through Orange County a couple weeks later so I just picked it up at the airport.
2) Buying from Zappo's was great. They upgraded the shipping method so that I received the shoes 3 days after ordering them online. I'm still on the fence on the shoes but I guess I need to decide soon whether they're a keeper.
3) Haven't received my bags from Tumi yet. I'm hoping that the backpack I bought will be enough for all my travels through Croatia though. :) Too ambitious? We'll see! If I do end up using just my backpack, I'll include a pic of my expert packing job in an upcoming post.

Big congratulations to my friend Brian who is newly engaged!

Next Stop: Chicago

Consumer Heaven

I've gone on a bit of an online shopping spree this weekend. I bought from 2 sites I've never purchased from before: Tumi and Zappo's. I'm in some serious need of a new backpack to travel with because my trusty Jansport is finally breaking down. The zipper only really works half the time now, and I have visions of running through the airport not knowing that all my clothes are spilling out behind me.

The main reason I chose those sites to purchase from was their free return shipping policy. That's probably the single most reason I wouldn't normally purchase something online that I hadn't already seen and tried on in the store already. The thought of purchasing something and then having to pay to return it really leaves a lot to be desired. You're essentially paying for nothing at the end of the day!

I'm especially looking forward to getting my shoes from Zappo's because I've read so many stories about their amazing customer service. I'm hoping I'll be totally happy with the shoes, but even if I'm not, at least I will hopefully have a good experience returning them!

BTW - on the topic of paying for nothing, for those who find their way to San Francisco, you may have a craving for burritos. One of the most-recommended places is La Taqueria. I finally got a chance to try it with my good friend Brian a few weeks ago, and it was probably the most expensive burrito I've ever seen because they actually charge you a dollar extra if you choose NOT to have beans. I won't contest that the food is great, but charging me for not wanting something is pretty ridiculous. I'd recommend going to Papalote instead - the food is awesome and you won't find yourself paying more for less.