Travel Snippets and More

Take Ear Plugs Whenever You Travel

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:13:00 +0000

Some people need ear plugs all the time because they need it quiet when they sleep. Others can do with a bit of noise, even the a/c going on and off.

But being woken up at 3 a.m. in a motel room because of loud talking and laughing in a nearby room, that goes on for over an hour, is not a fun experience. So reported friends of ours.

I just checked my travel kit bag which I never unpack .... found it already has two pairs of ear plugs in it. We are good to go!

More "Little Ways" Tips To Make Travel Easier

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:07:00 +0000

At the airport lot, back your car into its spot. If you return home to a dead battery or any other problem, this will make easier access to the battery or to a tow truck.

Many airports now offer less expensive parking lots but it takes time to get from them to the airport. Leave yourself enough time for that shuttle bus.

Pack anything that will be hard to replace in your carry-on, like those special running shoes. Of course your medications and important papers go into your carry-on. Put your quart-sized plastic bag with your liquids in an outside pocket or other easily accessible place.

Have complete information for your hotel in case of a delay, including phone number, fax number and email address. Have a printout of the hotel's location, for your own use or to show a cab driver.

If you are a frequent flyer member, save your boarding pass. If the airline goofs you don't get credit for your flight miles, your boarding pass is the proof you can provide that you took the flight.

Make your checked suitcase stand out from the rest. We use neon green luggage straps and can spot them as they come down the luggage belt and even have seen them being loaded onto the plane. No one is going to walk away with our bags by mistake.

How to Pack Light - OneBag.com

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:44:00 +0000

I recently put a link from this blog onto my Facebook account. One of my friends Commented how much she loved reading my Little Ways tips and how she thought onebag.com, a site I wrote about in the past, has really great information.

That comment made me take another look at onebag.com and my friend is right. The site is loaded with great travel information and not just with packing advice. There are links to all kinds of travel sites like currency exchange rates, free PDF versions of arrival/travel guides for many locations, worldwide tourism offices and much more.

Doug, of onebag.com, makes it clear that his site is non-commercial and other than a few Amazon and Magellen's links (disclosure here), does not make any money from the products he promotes. Then I noticed at the bottom of the site a link to make a donation. In the past I've donated to other sites. I use my PayPal account and make a small donation. But this is the first time one of the site owners wrote to me and thanked me.

Hi Diane ...

Thanks very much for your contribution to "One Bag". Not all that many people support the site in any tangible way, and it's rewarding to know that at least some consider it to be of significant worth. Your gift will help to ensure that "One Bag" continues at least as long as I do!

Best,

... Doug

To me that makes the site worth another post and more promotion. Travel on your calendar this year? Check out onebag.com for links to world wide weather, Internet cafes, electrical power and outlet information and much, much more.

You Know You're Addicted to Travel When...

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:32:00 +0000

I saw this on another website, asking readers to complete the sentence. There were some interesting closures.

….. you know your airport’s TSA agents by name.

….. you don’t think sample size, you think travel size.

….. you are planning on a new trip before leaving for the next one.

….. you have a bag with pharmacy items like pain reliever, Pepto, band aids, insect repellent, extra tooth brushes, etc. that you never unpack.

….. you have credit cards based upon the air miles program.

….. your friends welcome you home from a trip and then immediately ask where and when is the next one.

….. you wake up in the middle of the night and don’t know where the bathroom is.

….. you wake up in the middle of the night and don’t know what city you are in.

….. you think about getting an airplane tattooed on your ankle.

….. your grown children ask if they need an appointment to see you and how far in advance it must be made.

….. someone calls you and asks you to join them on a trip and you say YES before asking “Where to?”.

….. you fly coach across the country just to boost your frequent flyer miles to a higher category.

….. the flight attendant asks you why you are not flying on your usual seat.

Do you have something to add? Would love to read more ideas. Just leave it in the comment section.

From my TA .... your book "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" is almost all checked off. --- Thanks, Ellen

Winter Has Finally Arrived to Upstate NY

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Well, it has only taken until the middle of January for us to get any kind of measurable snow. Up through the end of December, we only had about 2 inches total snow for the season. Today it looks like we got about 6 inches of the white stuff but based upon the weather report, with temps going back into the 40’s next week, the snow won’t last very long.

With this kind of weather, our local ski slopes are empty. Not only haven't we had any snow, but it hasn't been cold enough to make snow. So I suspect local skiers will be checking out other opportunities to get onto the slopes, such as Whistler which gets an average of 33 feet of snow. How do I know how much snow Whistler gets? That’s the kind of information you can find on a site like Ski-i.com.

Plus you can get info to locate a Whistler ski accommodation and buy discount Whistler lift tickets. There is also information on restaurants, child care services, and other activities such as dog-sledding, snow mobile rides and horse drawn sleigh rides. No snow in your area this season? Or looking to try out some world class slopes? Check out Whistler ski holidays.

Express Scripts Inc. No Longer Doing Business With Walgreens

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:03:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

You are probably wondering why an article like this is going into my travel blog. The answer is simple. If you travel throughout the United States and are an Express Scripts member (like my Dad was), you will no longer have the convenience of using Walgreens to fill your prescriptions.

Walgreens tried for a year to negotiate a new contract with Express Scripts and remain part of the Express Scripts pharmacy network. Those negotiations failed due to the control Express Scripts wanted to have, such as defining what is and is not a generic. The result is that Express Scripts subscribers will now have to arrange for their prescriptions to be filled at another pharmacy, with absolutely no benefit to the subscriber.

What many people do not realize is that Express Scripts is the middleman between our military and TriCare, the defense department’s pharmacy benefits program. More than 250,000 member of the military and their families have signed petitions to demand the inclusion of Walgreens in the Express Scripts program.

If you are a Walgreens and Express Scripts client, make your voice heard. Contact your local media. Support Walgreens by liking Walgreens on Facebook and following Walgreens on Twitter. In the meantime, Walgreens wants to help its customers. Take advantage of the special annual membership discount for the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens.

CDC "The Yellow Book"

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:24:00 +0000

The CDC publishes The Yellow Book every two years. It is a reference book with advice for international travelers about possible health risks. While the book is meant for health care professionals, it can be a great resource for anyone. It can be purchased at online stores like Amazon. A Kindle version is even available.

For those that don't need a reference copy on their desk, the entire contents of the book is available online. Just click the link for Table of Contents under the heading Access the 2012 Yellow Book online.

And don't forget to check the CDC's Travelers' Health site if you'll be traveling soon. Take a glance at Travel Notices to see if there is something new in a country you will be visiting. Also take a look at Destinations to read medication and vaccination recommendations for the area you'll be in.

Thinking About the Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:31:00 +0000

The daughter of a friend of mine just returned from the Galapagos. She was amazed at how much she loved the trip. I wasn't surprised. When my husband and I went, we found it fascinating and exciting.

Today we have the coldest day we've had so far this winter. We've been lucky in that we've had only about a total of 2 inches of snow. But it is in the 20's today and the wind is howling outside and days like today make me think back to our Galapagos cruise, the warm weather and the wide variety of wildlife we saw that can't be seen anywhere else in the world.

Our Galapagos cruise ship was tiny. We had only 16 passengers. It definitely was a low end trip and I think, if we were to do it again, we would look at Galapagos cruises where the ship offered more than just the basics. We had minimal outdoor seating and when I think about the beauty of the area, it would have been nice to have more options. And our meals .... they were pretty much take it or leave it. And there was at least one time when we left it. :(

I still think back to the time the baby seal came over to my feet and tried to snack on my sandals. Then there was the time we hiked to the top of a peak on Bartholomew Island and could see the bay where Master and Commander was filmed. I still wear the fleece jacket I bought at the Darwin Center. A visit to the Galapagos is a great experience and, if you have the opportunity, experience it for yourself.

Check Holidays At Ports of Call

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:56:00 +0000

With Christmas, literally around the corner, I was reminded of a cruise my sister took that included Easter. The port of call for the day was Martinique. She booked a shore excursion that turned out to be 'adjusted' for the holiday....everything was closed. She was livid and expressed her strong opinion to the tour excursion desk where they did refund her money.

While it should have dawned on her that Easter would be celebrated on Martinique, the fact is there are local holidays we would know nothing about unless we did our research. Some times we would love to be there at festival time like when my friend and I went to see the annual National Day of the Ox Cart Driver in Costa Rica.

Other times though, when our time is limited, we might want to reroute ourselves so we are not in a city when all the museums. If something or someplace is important to you on your travel, check to make sure there are no special events on the day you will be there. Books like Frommer's where I linked to above, are a good place to start your research.

New Pilot Work Rules - It's About Time

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:12:00 +0000

About three years ago there was a fatal crash of a commuter plane about 75 miles away. Blame for the crash was placed on pilot fatigue since it was later determined that neither pilot has spent the previous night in a bed.

It has taken THREE years for the government to come up with new regulations to prevent pilot fatigue. Not only did it take three years to come up with the new rules, but the airlines have two years to adapt to them. Too long in my opinion.

Although the FAA has been urged by safety advocates for over two decades to make these types of changes, it took an accident where 50 people died to finally get airlines and pilot unions to agree.

You can read the entire store here: New FAA rules to help end flying while sleepy

Keep An Eye On Your Valuables

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:32:00 +0000

Traveling? Don't, for a second, take your eye off your purse, briefcase, tote bag, carry on, etc., etc., etc.

Today I ran into someone who I know had just gotten home from Florida. I asked her how her trip was and got a long story. Her purse was stolen while she was having breakfast at the airport. It seems she was tired and just not thinking and hung the strap over the back of her chair. Need I say more?

The daughter of a friend lost her backpack the same way. Other friends lost their carry on, filled with medications, when they put it down on the floor while they sat at a restaurant.

The moral is to keep everything in sight at all times. If you have to put a suitcase or backpack down, put it down in front of you. Don't put it next to you or between your legs or (GASP!) behind you. If you really want to hang your purse on your chair back, hang your coat over it.

In a restaurant, if you put your tote on the floor, put your foot through the handle. If the handle isn't big enough for your foot, put a leg of the chair through it. Ditto with a backpack. Even better, if you have a spare chair at the table, put your bags on it where it will always be in your vision.

Big travel weekend coming up. Play it safe and never let your carry on bags out of your sight.

Hotels in Queenstown NZ - family fun and adventure

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:51:00 +0000

We visited New Zealand a couple of years ago. We flew into Christchurch and did an overnight stay in a Christchurch hotel. The next day we took the train for a beautiful scenic ride to Greymouth where we picked up our rental car. We routed ourselves south towards Queenstown where we checked out Queenstown hotels and stayed for a few days.

Queenstown, situated by a beautiful lake and below majestic mountains, would make a fantastic family destination. Between boats and bikes, hiking and skiing, museums and nature, it looks like there are enough choices to keep everyone in the family happy. On the trip we made there was just the two of us. Maybe one day we'll be able to return with our grandchildren.

Trying To Use Delta SkyMiles

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:17:00 +0000

I have a friend who just tried to book a trip using Delta SkyMiles. According to the Delta SkyMiles Award Chart, the ticket should have 'cost' her (one way) 12,500, 20,000, or 30,000 miles. At first I thought this was nothing new.

In the past, different mileage levels typically referred to flying at peak or off peak times. My husband and I saved a bundle of miles on air for our Holy Land trip because we were flying to Europe off peak. We flew American.

On the Delta chart site I couldn't find anything that really clarified what the different mileage levels meant. Apparently my friend didn't either until she went to 'buy' her ticket and found different mileage levels FOR THE SAME DAY! Not only that, but she found the mileage levels changing from day to day.

I went to Delta's site to 'buy' a SkyMiles ticket. Picking an arbitrary date for Florida travel, going and coming in January, I found flights, for the same day, ranging in cost from 12,500 to 20,000. For instance, returning from Florida early in the morning cost 12,500 but if I wanted to fly out around noon, the cost was 20,000. This is the first time I have seen multiple mileage 'costs' on the same day for the same economy seats.

American doesn't appear to have changed from the on peak/off peak I am familiar with. I was playing around with American mileage seats for a potential future trip. As expected, all available economy seats for the same day had the same mileage cost. Interestingly though I found some seats blocked out as Premium. Since I was just playing around, at this time I have no idea what the additional cost of a Premium (aisle) seat would cost, in either dollars or miles.

Save Money on Lift Tickets

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:47:00 +0000

If you are waiting until the last minute to buy your lift tickets, you could be missing a good chance to save some money.

Ski hotels and resorts are now selling lower priced tickets during times that are historically slow. Typically, skiers bought their lift tickets when they arrived at their destination. Now, it is possible to save money by buying tickets ahead of time.

There are websites like Liftopia.com and Lifttickets.com that can provide significant savings. Recently it was possible to buy a ticket for January 12, 2012 at Mont Tremblant Ski Resort in Quebec for $58.99 on Liftopia. If you bought the same ticket at the resort website, you would pay $75 Canadian. The downside is that the tickets cannot be transferred and must be paid in full at time of purchase, if it rains instead of snows you could be out of luck.

Call the ski resort and ask for their best price or if they offer any type of promotion. In Park City Utah, the Quick Start program lets travelers trade their airline boarding pass for same day lift passes, allowing them to ski for free the day they arrive.

Buying tickets early is another way to save. At Liftopia.com, purchasing more than 14 days out offers possible discounts of 33 percent compared to 27 percent when buying within the 14 day window.

Check out websites like worldonskis.com and ski.com for their package deals. They negotiate room, food and lift tickets with resorts and put them together in money saving packages, compared to booking each item independently through the resort itself.

Season passes, or simply multiday passes, are another way to save on ski lift tickets. Check with your local ski resort. Ask about passes for Monday to Friday if you ski only midweek, another opportunity to save big.

First Real Snow of the Season

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:09:00 +0000

We had our first real snow of the season today. Woke up to find the grass covered and it snowing like crazy. I was ready to pack my bags, head to the airport, and grab the first flight heading south.

Fortunately it didn't last too long. The roadways were clear and According to the newspaper we shouldn't have any measurable snow for the next week or so.

Last year, by this time, we already had 24 inches of the white stuff. So maybe I shouldn't complain.

Find Cheap Flights – Fly During a Dead Zone

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:58:00 +0000

What’s a dead zone? It’s a time when no one else wants to fly, like before and after holidays and after spring break. To keep their planes full, airlines sometimes drastically lower their fares.

Typical dead zones are the beginning of November and December and the month of January, after the New Year weekend. (This is also a perfect time to get a great fare on a cruise.) February can also be good as long as you don’t want to fly to Florida, around Valentine’s Day or to the Super Bowl city.

The best time to fly to Europe is during the dead of winter but fares can also be good in October and May.

Deal zone deals are usually available at least three weeks before you plan on traveling. Best time to get online and check ticket prices is Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET. Actually, this is the best time to buy any ticket because this is when airlines reshuffle and reload fares.

Are Time Share Expenses Tax Deductible?

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:03:00 +0000

The short answer is that it depends. For the long answer, read this post. (I had to provide a sample tax-related post for a potential client. Now, a couple of weeks later, it dawned on me this was just a sample and wasn't going to be published. So I decided to post it here, providing what I hope is helpful information for any of my readers who has a timeshare.)

Timeshare owners may incur many expenses such as interest expense, property taxes and maintenance fees. A common question is whether or not these expenses are tax deductible as some owners equate timeshare ownership with owning real estate. However, the two are quite different and the answer to whether or not the expenses are deductible often depends upon how the timeshare is used.

Any loan used to pay for a timeshare must be structured very carefully to allow the interest to be taken as a tax deduction. For tax deductible interest, the loan must be secured by the property. Not all loans available through developers meet this requirement and, therefore, the interest would not be deductible. In addition, interest may be deducted on only two homes, a primary residence and a vacation home. If you have timeshares at more than one property, no matter how the loan is structured, only the interest on one may be tax deductible.

Unlike the interest expense deduction that limits the number of properties, you may be able to deduct property taxes on any number of units that you own. Methods of assessing and billing property taxes vary by state. In some areas, the timeshare owner is billed directly. In other states, the individual weeks are assessed through the developer and the tax bill shows up on the maintenance bill. In such cases, the tax is probably deductible since it has been assessed directly against the time that you own. However, property taxes that are billed directly to the resort as one large parcel will probably not be deductible.

As with the cost of maintaining your primary residence, fees and assessments are not typically tax deductible, even if they are for a one-time tax assessment, such as public road or sewer improvement throughout the resort.

Where you claim the deductions on your federal tax return depends upon how you use your timeshare. If your use is totally personal, deduction are taken on Form 1040, Schedule A. If the use is totally rental, then Schedule E is used. If the unit is both rented and used for personal use, both forms are used with the expenses proportioned based upon the time used personally and the time used for rental. For instance, if you have a three week timeshare that is rented for one week, two-thirds of the expenses should be entered on Schedule A and one-third on schedule E.

Avoiding Liquids When Flying

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:07:00 +0000

Liquids in bottles over 3 oz. aren't a problem if you'll be checking your luggage. You can put the big bottles of shampoo, condition, hair gel, etc. in the big suitcase that gets checked at the counter.

But if you like to try and travel with only a carry-on as we do, the TSA 3-1-1 rule can be a challenge. Depending upon the trip (domestic or international) and how long we will be gone, there is a large variety of items I try and fit into our 1-quart zip bags. I usually bring at least a travel size toothpaste and shampoo to get us started. When we get to our destination, I'll sometimes go into a local supermarket or pharmacy (yes, even overseas) and buy what we need in its larger container.

But there are a bunch of creams and ointments I like to take along, "in case of emergency", and I really don't want to buy large sizes at our destination. Some items I might even have trouble finding, such as insect repellent. And I still laugh when I think about trying to locate sunblock in a South American supermarket.

Therefore, when I read about items that I can purchase as a solid, I sit up and take notice. Cutter Outdoorsman insect repellent is available as a solid that is 30% DEET. It can be found in drug stores and in outdoor gear stores. Sunblock is also available as a solid. Neutrogena has an Oil-Free Sunblock Stick. Seen at CVS, if it is not available in your local store, it can be purchased online.

Saving On Airport Parking

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:45:00 +0000

Airport parking can be very expensive. We live in upstate New York and our closest airport is ROC. Fortunately we are close enough to usually manage to get a ride from friends or family and do not need to leave our car in a parking lot. However, are airfares are not particularly cheap and there are times they are cheaper if we can fly out of BUF. But them we have to add in the cost of airport parking and maybe a hotel night. Sometimes it still works but most of the time it doesn’t.

Our son, who lives near Philadelphia, often flies out of Baltimore. Even with the cost of travel to the airport (gas, tolls), the airfares are often cheaper and the airport parking at BWI is a LOT less than PHL.

Some airports, like Miami airport parking, are very busy and even if you were willing to pay the parking costs you can't even find a spot. So I thought it was pretty neat when I found a web site that lets you reserve a spot and save money while doing it.

Researching a Trip With Kids

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:12:00 +0000

The other day I was on the phone with my son. He is considering taking his children (girl, age 11 and son, age 10) away for a few days. We were discussing suitable places for a winter time visit. He lives hear Philadelphia so I suggested Washington, D.C. He's been there before with the kids and they love it. During the winter it should be a lot less crowded. We also talked about places like Gettysburg. (My husband reads anything he can grab his hands on about the battle.) My son, though, felt the children are still too young to appreciate what went on there.

So we discussed other possible trips like at a resort that has everything inside. That brought up topics like indoor water parks in Virginia. Both of my grandchildren are water nuts and Virginia is far enough away to make it seem like a real vacation and yet close enough to do it for a long weekend.

He still has to decide where to go but living in the Philadelphia area gives him lots of options.

Corrected Instructions For My Subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:43:00 +0000

I just played around with the email links. You have to click on the blog title within the actual email post.

So if you didn't see the videos, go to the Polar Bear email you received and click on the blog title at the bottom of the email.

For My Subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:48:00 +0000

I also subscribe to my blog, just to confirm information is sent correctly.

I want to confirm that everyone who subscribes also received the polar bear videos. There are two videos embedded in that post.

If you do not have them in your email, click on the blog title to be taken directly to the actual post. You don't want to miss them. :)

More Pictures From Churchill: The Polar Bears!!

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:35:00 +0000

What I assume all of my regular readers have been waiting for .... the polar bear pictures and videos! I think one reason this took so long in coming is that it definitely was the hardest post of the trip to write. Actually, the hard part is selecting the pictures. We were out on the tundra for three full days and probably saw between 15 to 20 bears each day. That's a lot of bears and a lot of bear behavior and a lot of pictures and video. Hope you enjoy the selections I've made and find the reason why I chose them interesting.

So, obviously we saw a lot of bears just lying around doing nothing.

Other times we saw them interacting with each other. The area around Churchill is the only place polar bears show social behavior. In other parts of the world the bears are solitary as they complete for food. Here the bears are all waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze and, once that happens, they will resume the typical solitary behavior.

Most of the time they ignored us but every now and then their curiosity got the better of them and they came over to the rovers and looked up at us or got real close, went up on their hind paws with their front paws on the rover, and gave us a thorough look-at through the window.

We saw a lot of playful sparring ... bears up on their hind legs pushing and shoving. This behavior strengthens the bear and will help its survival because once it is on the ice the bear will rise on its hind legs and punch down on the ice with its powerful forequarters in order to break the ice and get at seals they see below it.

I found it interesting that as big and strong as these bears are, with no natural predator, they can still be easily spooked. When we had the windows of the rover open, the only thing you would hear was the clicking of shutters. We all spoke in a whisper and no one out on the back deck made any quick movements. Notice in this video how this bear got startled and walked away. And look at the size of the paws! I couldn't get over how HUGE they are.

And some of the time I just watched as the bears walked along the shore, sniffing the air, and pretty much just minding their own business.

Vacation Rentals

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:25:00 +0000

I recently wrote about how to save money on hotel costs by using some of the discount sites online. Another way to save money, or to get more for your money, is by doing a vacation rental.

I've always wanted to do a vacation rental. I think it would be really neat to stay in an apartment, with two of the big amenities apartments have to offer: a kitchen area and lots of space. As I was thinking about it, I realize we have already done just that. Our hotel accommodations in Reykjavik was a studio, a huge room with a sitting area, a dining area and a galley kitchen. It was great!

Friends of ours just returned from renting a villa in Tuscany ... another item on my bucket list. And other friends rent a condo in Florida very February. Whether Tuscany, Reykjavik, London or Barcelona vacation rentals, or just heading to Florida, consider an apartment for your stay.

Up, Up and Away - The Bear Jail, Churchill

noreply@blogger.com (diane) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:37:00 +0000

Yes, Churchill has a bear jail. During polar bear season, there is a regular bear patrol. If a bear is reported as being too close to town, an attempt is made to scare the bear off by, essentially, firing a 'firecracker' in its direction. If that doesn't work, the bear is tranquilized and taken to the Polar Bear Holding Facility.

We didn't get to see inside the facility but were told that the inside is kept dark, the bears are kept in cages close to each other (not something they normally like) and are only given water to drink ... essentially, making the place somewhere they don't want to return to.

The bears are tagged and then flown far away from town and released. If the bear returns it gets a second chance. A third time, though, and they are out.

We were fortunate to see a bear lift on our last morning there.