Tips on Renting a Car in Australia and Brisbane: Insurance and Toll Roads

 I recently rented a car in Brisbane, Australia.  Here are some tips.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) Insurance:

I am currently researching all the requirements needed to rent a car in Mexico.  I'll have a blog post on that in the future.  For now, however, I learned some things about renting cars in Australia as a US citizen.

When I rent a car in the US, I always use a higher-end Visa or Mastercard to reserve and to pay for the rental car.  This allows me to decline the rental car company's insurance on all fronts.  I've double-checked the benefits of the credit card that I use.  The credit cards that I use have benefits such as "Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)."  The credit card, as long as you decline the rental car's CDW (they require that you do so), will then reimburse you or the car rental company "for damage due to collision or theft up to the actual cash value of most rental vehicles."  There's no deductible, so this is my primary coverage.  In other words, "you do not have to claim payment from any source of insurance before receiving coverage under the benefit."  This is a great benefit.  Just make sure that your credit card offers this benefit. 

My personal car insurance covers the other types of insurance that might be needed. 

There's also this wording in the benefits brochure: "If you accept the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company, you will not be eligible for [our] Auto Rental CDW."

In Australia and some other countries, however, the car rental company may insist that you buy their CDW insurance.  In this case, the credit card will still cover you as long as the country is on their list of "exception countries."  I called my MasterCard benefits number, and they told me that the exception countries are New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, and Italy. 

Therefore, when renting a car in Australia, I could try to decline the company's CDW insurance, but if I was forced to buy it, my credit card benefits arm would still cover me in the case of an accident. 

I spoke to a friend who is also an underwater photographer.  He actually does highly recommend getting CDW insurance in Australia.  He did not get it once and was involved in an accident that was not his fault.  He therefore had to pay $3500 as a bond, and it was extremely difficult for him to get that money back, even though he was entitled to it.  He had to write numerous letters and make dozens of phone calls to clear the entire matter up.  From my initial reading, the situation can be even worse in Mexico.  

In other words, your credit card may cover you for CDW insurance in Australia, and you could decline the company's CDW insurance.  I did so when I was in Brisbane.  However, buying the company's CDW insurance in Australia is allowed by MasterCard benefits -- and it's probably a good idea.  Otherwise you will have to pay a $3500 or higher bond if you are involved in any type of accident, and it will be a hassle to get that money back. 

Brisbane Domestic and International Terminals:

 Here is a tip when renting a car in Brisbane, and it applies to other cities, anywhere.  When renting a car, double check to see if the car can be picked up "in terminal" or if you have to take a shuttle to the rental company location.  In Brisbane, companies like Hertz, Avis, and a few others had their facilities right on the airport.  It was thus a simple matter to pick up and return a car -- in Brisbane, I just returned my Hertz rental car right across the street from the domestic terminal one morning.  If I had rented from another company, I might have had to get up earlier and take a shuttle once I returned the car. 

Brisbane has separate international and domestic terminals.  They are about a 10-minute walk apart.  If you rent from Hertz, Avis, or other on-airport companies, they make it easy.  You can pick up a car from the international terminal and return it to the domestic terminal, or vice versa.  The rental car companies have counters and cars available at both the international and domestic terminals.  I liked Brisbane Airport a lot -- it was easy to get around in and picking up and returning a car was super-easy. 

Toll Roads in Brisbane: Don't Let the Rental Car Company Scam You

When I rented the car from Hertz, I was told that I had two options to pay for the toll roads around Brisbane.  I really dislike getting into situations where I am being scammed, and sure enough, the Hertz agent scammed me.  He convinced me to pay in advance of using any toll roads.  The options I had were:

1.  Pay AUD $11 in advance, and I would pay nothing more if I used a toll road(s).  I was not sure if the AUD $11 covered my entire rental, or if it only covered 24 hours or one day of my rental.  For example, if I kept the car for three days, would I be charged AUD $33 for three days at $11 per day, or just a flat $11? 

2.  Don't pay, and I would be billed the cost of the toll road fee along with a $16 Hertz administrative fee after the fact. 

What the Hertz agent neglected to tell me, which I discovered after a web search at my hotel, was that I could choose option 1 at the TIME I RETURNED MY CAR.  Therefore, if I never used a toll road in Brisbane, then I would not need to pay any fee; if I did in fact use a toll road, I could simply pay Hertz $10 for option 1 when I returned the car. 

That's what I ended up doing.  My Garmin unit had Australia maps loaded onto it, and it was programmed to avoid toll roads.  It worked just fine in Brisbane and I got to my hotel without having to use the M7 toll road from the airport (easy).  As it turns out, there are only one or two toll roads in Brisbane, and they are clearly marked so that you can avoid them. 

I also discovered that for at least the M7 airport toll road (the most likely road that a tourist driving to or from the Brisbane airport to the city would use), if you found yourself driving on it -- you could pay the toll online within three days. 

Here's how to pay the toll for the airport toll road:

https://www.airportlinkm7.com.au/accounts-passes/pay-a-toll.aspx

For a casual user or a driver of a rental car -- buy a trip pass: Here's some wording from the website:

If you have already used AirporlinkM7 you have 3 days from the date of travel to pay for your trip by opening an account or buying a pass.

You can purchase a casual user pass prior to travel or 3 days after the date of travel.

A trip pass can pay for trips taken on AirportlinkM7 within the last 3 days; select the appropriate start date to cover any unpaid travel.

Hope this helps folks traveling to Brisbane!

Virgin Australia is awesome. Sydney Airport Needs to Turn on the Air Conditioning.

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I recently flew to Australia to get to Papua New Guinea (PNG).  It was quite a learning experience.  I am a fan of the Virgin brand now.  I recently took a Virgin train in the UK (great experience), and I had a great time flying Virgin Australia.

I flew into Sydney, then on to Brisbane -- and from there to Papua New Guinea.  I will discuss my nightmarish experience in trying to get on my Air Niugini plane at Port Moresby (ranked next-to-worst city that you'd want to live in by a recent study) later.  But first, some of the good news. 

If you are in Australia and flying domestically, then you can't go wrong by flying Virgin Australia.  I flew Virgin Australia both ways, from Sydney to Brisbane and back again, and each time my experience with this airline was just great.  I flew business class using my Virgin America Elevate points, and it was a great deal and just an awesome experience in all respects. 

I flew Virgin America to Las Vegas a year ago. It was my first time flying.  I applied for a Virgin America credit card when booking my flight to Vegas, and I received about 11,000 points in my account after spending $1000 in three months.  I then forgot about this small number of points in my account, until this trip came up.  When planning my trip, I realized that my points in my Elevate account could be used to buy a ticket for my travel within Australia, from SYD to BNE. 

Virgin America is a partner with Virgin Australia, like American and Qantas.  It has a separate frequent flyer program from Virgin Australia, whose program is called Velocity.  I called Virgin America and learned that a coach seat from SYD to BNE would cost AUD $95 (about US$73) and a business class seat would cost AUD $699 (about US $511).  If I used points, then a coach seat would cost 3500 points and a business class seat would cost 6000 points.  I had 11,000 points in my account, so I chose a business class seat. 

This turned out to be a great deal.  I got two free checked bags instead of one (my third bag cost AUD$35), and I was amazed by the pleasant and comfortable experience throughout.  I was able to enter the VA lounge in Sydney, which was just splendid.  The VA lounges offer a full hot breakfast, plenty of space, and private shower rooms.   I had the best coffee I've ever had in an airport, prepared by a professional barista at no charge in the VA lounge. 

The Virgin brand's service is exceptional.  I have a few examples.  I flew into Sydney in October on a United flight.  After clearing customs in Sydney, I had to catch my Virgin Australia flight.  This was no problem whatsoever.  Virgin had a domestic transfer desk right after I got out of customs in the international terminal (Sydney's two terminals are a 15 minute drive apart, impossible to walk).  Even though I had flown in with United, all I had to do was check my bags in at the VA domestic transfer desk, then board their bus to head to the domestic terminal.  It could not have been easier. 

Once on the flight, I noticed that Virgin Australia staffs are exceptionally well trained.  Flight attendants kneel down to talk to you at eye level or beneath you, rather than standing and talking to you so you are staring at their crotch (which an arrogant EMT did to me a few years ago).  The gate agents give you back your boarding pass with both hands, very politely. 

On my way back home, I flew from Brisbane to Sydney.  Once in Sydney, I realized that I needed a way to get to the SYD international terminal.  The agent at my arrival gate told me that there would be a shuttle bus, and I could get a voucher at the baggage services desk by baggage claim 3. When I got there, they already knew my name, that I was coming, and instantly gave me a voucher and told me where to go.  THAT is good service.

Did I mention that Virgin Airlines points are a great deal?  After my first flight, my Virgin America Elevate account had only 5300 miles in it.  I wanted to use up my miles, so with the help of my travel agent, I was able to pay $52 to buy 1000 miles.  I then used another 6000 miles to buy a business class seat from BNE to SYD. 

This was all super awesome! -- being able to fly business class using so few miles, and being able to eat a hot breakfast along with a cappuccino before getting on the plane. 

I am a huge fan of the Virgin Airlines brand now. 

*******

Sydney Airport Needs to Turn on the Air Conditioning

I've been carrying a watch with a thermometer on it, so that I know how hot it is on a boat or in an airport.  I leave it off my wrist, and I've compared it to other thermometers, so I know that it is accurate. 

Well, on my way out of the Sydney airport, at the X-ray checkpoint, I realized that I was really hot, sweating while standing and waiting for my bag to be X-rayed.  The temperature was 83 degrees F.  I mentioned this to two separte security folks who escorted me for "additional screening" and each of them instantly agreed with me.   

One guard even asked me to write in to the airport authority, since working in the heat was a big problem for them.  She stated that  the airport  did not care about whether the security guards were comfortable or not, but that the airport WOULD care if passengers complained.  So I am complaining: Sydney airport, you keep your terminals far too hot.  83 degrees in a place like an airport is just too f****ng hot!  

Using the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced for the First Time, Updating Firmware

Bottom Line: DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is AWESOME. 

Update:

I flew a DJI Phantom 3 Advanced in Papua New Guinea.  I flew it over water about two dozen times and recovered it every time. 

All I can say is WOW.  Right out of the box, I got the Phantom 3 up and running, with the ability to control the camera angle, take videos or stills, and see first-person view (FPV) on my tablet (a Nexus 7 Gen 2, which costs only $100 now).  Here's an image from the trip.

I highly recommend Lowepro's great DroneGuard CS 400, which makes traveling and using DJI's Phantom 3 and other quadcopter models easy. 

Here's a photo of my DroneGuard CS 400, packed with a Phantom 3 Advanced quadcopter.   The case accommodates a drone with the propellers on.  This allows you to hike to a destination and unpack the drone, ready to go. 

Here are some hints if you are getting started with a Phantom 3. 

I bought a Phantom 3 Advanced recently.  I started off with a Phantom 1, and ended up drowning it in Puget Sound.  I think that a propeller may have loosened and fallen off.  I spent a lot of time and energy trying to make that Phantom 1 do what I wanted, which was to take still images with a GoPro Hero 3+ Black camera.  It was a lot of work.  I ended up having to do way too many steps before each (very short, 5 minute) flight: connect the 9V add-on battery to the Boscam 5.8Ghz transmitter; connect the battery to the actual Phantom (their design, and problematic); connect all the wires to the GoPro camera; turn on the GoPro and start recording; and the list goes on.  I did a few flights where I forgot one thing or another, and ended up with nothing.  It was frustrating.  I have always been more of a stills photographer than a videographer, and attempting to take still images rather than video with a GoPro remotely was very difficult. 

I bought a Phantom 2 (non-Vision), thinking that I'd solder up some wires again and put on a GoPro camera for best quality.  I was not looking forward to it because of all the time and troubleshooting that this would involve.  I am really tired of soldering stuff and having wires all over the place too -- I did plenty of this as a college student. 

When a Phantom 3 Advanced model came out at a good price, I decided to buy one.  I did not realize what a great machine this was.  Everything is thought out well and I have everything I need out of the box.  The Phantom 3 Advanced is the same as the Phantom 3 Professional, except the camera shoots 1080 video rather than 4K (a new firmware upgrade allows the Advanced to shoot 2.7K). 

Right out of the box, I have a DJI camera on a gimbal, which gives incredibly steady video shots.  It takes videos and stills.  Right out of the box, I have first-person view (FPV), which lets me see what the camera on the drone is seeing.  I have control of the camera, the gimbal (which lets the camera shoot straight down or level to the horizon), and the drone itself with the DJI transmitter (again, right out of the box).

To see what the camera on the Phantom 3 sees (FPV), you need to supply a smartphone or tablet that uses the DJI Go app (it used to be the DJI Pilot app, which is no longer available).  I tried a Nexus 5 phone and a Nexus 7 second generation tablet with the DJI Go app.  The Nexus 5 phone did not work well at all with the Phantom 3 -- I kept losing the signal to the drone, and had to fly it blind.  The Nexus 7 II, on the other hand, has worked near-perfectly with the Phantom 3 and DJI Go app.  I can turn video recording on and off from the tablet, and I can see what the camera sees -- almost perfectly. 


DJI specifies the following as being very compatible with their DJI Go App:

iOS Version v2.2.0. Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 3, and iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi + Cellular. This app is optimized for iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus.

Android Version v2.1.0. Requires Android 4.1.2 or later. Compatible with Samsung tab s 705c, Samsung S6, Samsung S5, Samsung NOTE4, Samsung NOTE3, Google Nexus 9, Google Nexus 7 II, Ascend Mate7, Nubia Z7 mini, SONY Z3 EXPERIA, MI 3, MI PAD.


If you are starting out with a Phantom 3, I would bet that using one of the above specified smartphones or tablets will give you far better results than using a phone that is not in the above list.  I have an iPad 3rd generation tablet also, and I simply could not install the DJI Go app (not sure why -- wouldn't the OS of the app be the determining factor rather than the model of tablet?). 

I've flown the Phantom 3 twice now, upgraded the firmware to version 1.342, and it's all worked out great.  I will wait a bit and then upgrade to the newest firmware, which offers some exciting flight modes, which you can see on the DJI site.  I'm always cautious about updating to the newest firmware or OS on any machine, and one friend has told me that his Phantom 2 worked fine until he updated the firmware -- upon which his Phantom 2 never again worked well. 

For my initial flights, I can say that the video is just outstanding.  It is steady and sharp.  I have not been as impressed with the still images, but I am sure that I will get there. 

For the first time, taking good videos is easier than taking stills. 

There are a few resources to guide you through updating your firmware.  I found that DJI's video tutorial was pretty good -- but their PDF guide was really lacking in some essential information.  Here are some tips when updating firmware:

Follow the instructions on other sites.  Be sure you have enough battery power and that you give this whole firmware update process a good 40 minutes.  The firmware update should take 25 minutes. 

Here were some useful tips from a couple of websites, that offered more detail than the DJI tutorials (especially their not-so-great PDF instructions):

http://www.quadcopterguide.com/how-to-upgrade-phantom-3-firmware/...
After the minute it will beep in a pattern such as “Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Pause” and this will be repeated during the whole firmware upgrade. ...It’s much quieter than the startup beeps. During the process the front LED indicators are solid red, and the Aircraft Status Indicator LED’s flash yellow. [I was pretty concerned about seeing my LEDs flash yellow for several minutes until I read this].

(Updating to 1.4.0010 i got the normal standard bootup beeps four times around the 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th minute into the process) After each it just continued it’s normal “Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Pause” sounds.
(Updating to 1.4.0010 at 31min the beeps got a bit distorted for a few seconds then returned to normal)
After about (13 minutes in my case for 1.1.0006 and 32 minutes for 1.4.0010) The beeps will change to a “Beeeeeeeep-Beep-Beep-ShortPause” tune. This means the firmware upgrade is complete.  [Yep, the beeps changed.  I was not at all sure what to do after 38 minutes had passed, since the Phantom 3 was still beeping.  After reading this and the other blurb below, I realized that the process had ended]. 
Shut down your Phantom 3 Note: The Camera Processing Board, Gimbal and Camera can be hot to the touch, happens to me too. Just be sure to let it properly cool before flying or putting it away.

from: http://www.dronezon.com/diy-drone-repair-videos/dji-innovation-drones/update-phantom-3-firmware-to-greatly-improve-your-quadcopter/

Phantom 3 Firmware Beeping Sounds

With the Phantom 3 firmware update,  you have to pay attention to the beeps the quadcopter gimbal and remote controller are emitting during the upgrade.  Here is some information on these beeping sounds.  I have videos below which will also take you step by step through the update process.

Ready to update sound from the gimbal similar to D-D-D-D  D-D-D-D.  You don’t have to do anything at this point.
Fast beeping noise indicates the firmware is updating. This can take up to 25 minutes. Sound is  similar to DDDD DDDD.
Slow beeping sound when firmware update is complete.  Similar sound to  D—DD D–DD.  At this point you would restart the Phantom 3 manually.
NOTE: A long beeping sound means the update has failed.


Updating the firmware in your remote controller (RC):
After updating the firmware in your Phantom 3 drone, you may have to update the firmware in your remote controller (RC).  Or you may not. 

I spent a good hour trying to figure out the various instructions on updating the RC.  It appears that you can link the RC to your smartphone and DJI Go app, and then update the firmware on your RC that way. 

However, if your RC has older firmware (I am not sure what is considered old), then you need to put the new firmware (the newest for your RC is version 1.3.20 as of today) on a USB flash drive, then put that USB flash drive on the RC itself.  I tried this with various flash drives.  It never worked.  That's when I discovered this forum post:

I had the same problem (RC never updates with USB flash drive). Talked with support and was told if you have the GL300B version control it was sent with the latest update. The GL300B not A is the newest version and it will update wirelessly at a later time. I have flown my drone 16 times and it has worked perfectly.

In other words: Look on the bottom of your RC.  If you have the GL300B, then it is the newest version.  Here's what I think.  I think that the GL300B RCs already have v1.3.20 firmware on them.  If you have a GL300B RC, then trying to update it with a USB flash won't work. 

The DJI website states this:
The All-in-One firmware v1.4.0010 does not include remote controller update package. However, for the best user experience, it is recommended that the users who are using the firmware that older than v1.3.20 to update the firmware to v1.3.20 before updating the aircraft.

Here's what I think: if you desire to update your Phontom 3 to v1.4.0010 (which I plan to do in a few weeks, because it seems to have some awesome features like "follow me" and "point of interest"), then update it FIRST to v1.3.20.  Make sure your RC is also update to v1.3.20.  THEN AND ONLY THEN, update again to v1.4.0010. 

Like I said, I am holding off on updating to the very newest firmware until a few weeks have passed, to be safe. 

Great Hammerhead Shark Trip, Bimini, January 2016; and Tiger Beach (Tiger Sharks, other sharks), November 2016

I would like to let interested divers and photographers know that I will be on two trips, with the focus on getting close to sharks, with Epic Diving in the coming months. I'm excited to go diving again with Epic Diving's Vince and Debra Canabal, who are super-smart and super-nice people.  Of course, I am also excited to be going back to these destinations, which offer opportunities to see really cool sharks up close. 


Here are the trip dates.

Great hammerhead sharks, Bimini: Jan 29, 2016 to February 4, 2016: I believe that there's only one spot left.

Tiger Beach (tiger, reef, lemon, and other sharks): November 6-12th, 2016.

These trips are land-based, which is something I really prefer. I will be on these trips as a “regular diver” (I am not the trip leader) and as such will be happy to engage in informal chats about photography and to point out how much better my photographs and gear are to others' on the trip. Just joking.

If you want more information, feel free to message me here or contact Epic Diving. Their website is: http://www.epicdiving.com/

We Got Lucky: New Blue Whale Shots

I was fortunate to spend time in the open ocean off Baja California recently, hoping to photograph kelp patties -- floating masses of kelp -- and the many types of fish that gather under the patties. 
We got real lucky one day.  

This is a blue whale, the largest animal to ever exist on earth.  Like all whales, they are pretty shy and are extremely difficult to get close to.  We lucked out with this individual, who approached our boat closely.  

With any encounter with a whale, the opportunity to make photographs of the animal is exceedingly fleeting.  Having more than 10 seconds to actually see the whale and photograph it is about all one gets.  Taking still photographs involves knowing your camera gear so well that you don't have to think about it.  There's no time to set focus, so you need to set focus before the encounter.  You need to know what the light conditions are so that you can set your ISO and shutter speed beforehand.  If you get anything wrong, you will end up with nothing to show for this once-in-a-lifetime encounter.  Shooting video is even harder -- you have to hold your breath, dive down at least a bit to get away from surface chop, and try to shoot steadily for at least 15 seconds without shaking the camera. 

Several divers and photographers have obtained photos of blue whales both topside and underwater, but obtaining photographs of such large, fast-swimming animals can only be considered a rare, special event.   As an example, perhaps only one or two dozen photographers have ever captured images of blue whales; and film teams have routinely spent 60 days hoping to film blue whales with no success.  

Consumer Tip: You Can Buy Alcohol and Prescription Medications at Costco Even if You Are Not a Member

I recently learned about this consumer tip when I saw the following question in a newspaper or magazine: 

Question: I hear if you are going to just buy alcohol or pharmacy you are let in (to Costco) even if you don't have membership. True? 

Laws prohibit pharmacies and liquor stores from discriminating. If you want to sell to anyone it has to be available to everyone. Hence the no membership required for prescription drugs or alcohol.

 

I discovered that yes, you can use Costco's pharmacy as a non-member. However, you won't get the member's discount if you are a non-member.  Costco offers most prescription and other medications at a pretty nice discount if you are a member.  

Consumer Finances: Credit Card Interest and Debt

I have several credit cards, but I have never, ever carried a balance on those credit cards.  I use them for nearly all purchases, because I get airline miles and/or cash back on my purchases, and I get up to a 30-day grace period on all purchases.  I pay off my credit card balances each months and I never carry a balance.

If you use your credit cards this way, you never pay interest, late fees, or other fees.  The card is essentially a free way to delay paying for the things you buy -- but only a short delay.

If you ever carry a balance on your credit card (you don't pay the account in full each month), if you are late on a credit card payment, or you get cash advances from the credit card -- then watch out!  This is one of the worst things you can ever do from a financial standpoint.

Credit cards charge a ridiculous amount if you are late or miss a payment.  If you miss a payment, you will be charge late fees (usually around $25).  Even worse, you will now be stuck paying interest on ALL purchases from now on.  There is no longer a grace period.

Ask this question to your credit card issuer, for instance.  Let's say one month you don't pay off your entire balance, or you are late with a payment.  This is a general question, not specific. 

You had a balance of $250.  You were late.  Or you only paid $150. 
You have a small balance left of $100.  You have to pay a late fee.  You have to pay interest on that original balance of $250. 

Here's the question.  Normally you would have a grace period for new purchases.  For instance, you had a balance due of $250 on 7-22.  You paid late, on 7-23.  Therefore the bank charges a late fee and interest. Normally, you would pay off the entire balance before 7-22.  New purchases after that date would not be subject to interest and would not need to be paid until 8-22. 

Now, however, you are carrying a balance.  You buy stuff after 7-22.  You will be charged interest immediately on the stuff you buy after 7-22. 
To repeat:

If you are late on payment, your ENTIRE balance will be charged interest. This will include all new charges.  Once you pay off the last statement's overdue balance, then interest stops being charged.

You will be charged interest immediately on the stuff you buy after 7-22.

By the way, I never use my debit cards, which my bank gives me -- except to get cash at my bank's ATM machines. When you use a debit card, the withdrawal occurs immediately from your bank account -- there is no grace period.  That's not that big a deal, but merchants who accept debit cards often charge a fee to use them, and not credit cards.  I was in a fast-food restaurant a few weeks ago and noticed that they charged $1 for use of a debit card, and nothing if I used a credit card.  Last and worst -- you are not as well protected against fraudulent use of a debit card than a credit card.  With a credit card, you are AT WORST liable for only $50 of fraudulent transactions.  With debit cards, it is up to your bank whether they will reimburse you for fraudulent use of your debit cards.  Don't take my word for it and do check other sources than this blog post for further explanation.  An example:

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/10/credit-card-debit-card.asp

More consumer information coming.