Phoenix AZ: phoning home and Frank Lloyd Wright

I'm planning a short ( 1 week) visit to Phoenix from the UK next
month, and was wondering about the simplest/cheapest way to phone
home. Looking at other threads on the subject in the group, it
appears that a card bought in the US is the best deal, but it would be
interesting to hear any particular recommendations. Also I wondered
whether there are cheap options for short-term rental of a mobile
(cell) phone. Of course there are other ways of keeping in touch, and
presumably a mobile phone isn't going to be a cheap way of phoning
home, but if there's an attractive deal on getting a mobile phone for
a few days I might be tempted by it.

On a different tack I do want to visit Taliesin West in Scottsdale,
where Frank Lloyd Wright worked. It appears from the website that
there are tours every day, and that for the regular tours there's no
need to book in advance. But I'd be interested to hear any hints and
tips from people who've visited there before. Also, is it accessible
from Phoenix by public transport, or am I reliant on a car or taxi to
get there?

Martin

From: Martin Rich

On a different tack I do want to visit Taliesin West in Scottsdale ...
is it accessible from Phoenix by public transport, or am I reliant
on a car or taxi to get there?

Can't answer your other questions, but regarding this one, Phoenix is a
sprawling city with very poor public transit (like many large western cities)
so while it *might* be possible in theory to get there via bus with several
transfers (quite possibly not), as a practical matter you'll need a car or taxi
to get around.

Bill

Martin Rich staggered to the nearest keyboard
and wrote:

I'm planning a short ( 1 week) visit to Phoenix from the UK next
month, and was wondering about the simplest/cheapest way to phone
home. Looking at other threads on the subject in the group, it
appears that a card bought in the US is the best deal, but it would be
interesting to hear any particular recommendations. Also I wondered
whether there are cheap options for short-term rental of a mobile
(cell) phone. Of course there are other ways of keeping in touch, and
presumably a mobile phone isn't going to be a cheap way of phoning
home, but if there's an attractive deal on getting a mobile phone for
a few days I might be tempted by it.

How cheap do you want? Some of the best deals are from prepaid
providers that you access through a toll-free number. We use a
service called OneSuite (www.onesuite.com) which charges $0.039 per
minute to call the UK. You sign up online with a minimum $10 deposit
charged to your credit card. There also are cards from the major
carriers such as MCI and AT&T which will have slightly better sound
quality than the cut-rate carriers but at higher cost. Be aware that
the cost of the cards varies wildly for exactly the same service,
depending on where you buy.

Never rent a cell phone. Buying a prepaid phone is almost always
cheaper, even for just a few days. If you are going to stay in the
city of Phoenix and along major highways the best deal is probably
Virgin Mobile. You can get their cheapest model for about $50 from
major discount retailers such as Target or WalMart. (I think the $50
includes $10 of airtime credit.) You can call the UK on Virgin Mobile
for $0.75 per minute. Calls within the US are $0.25 per minute for
the first 10 minutes in a day, then $0.10 per minute thereafter for
calls on the same day.

Hope this helps and let me know if you have other questions. (My
email is un-munged but the Swen virus has been clogging my Yahoo inbox
every few hours, so if you want to follow up by direct email just ping
me here and I'll get in touch.)


--

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 23:22:35 +0100, Martin Rich
wrote:

On a different tack I do want to visit Taliesin West in Scottsdale,
where Frank Lloyd Wright worked. It appears from the website that
there are tours every day, and that for the regular tours there's no
need to book in advance. But I'd be interested to hear any hints and
tips from people who've visited there before. Also, is it accessible
from Phoenix by public transport, or am I reliant on a car or taxi to
get there?

Taliesin West isn't actually in Phoenix. I beleive these days
it's been incorporated with the Scottsdale city limits, but it
rather out on the desert. I don't beleive there is any public
transit there.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Hatunen wrote:

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 23:22:35 +0100, Martin Rich
wrote:

On a different tack I do want to visit Taliesin West in Scottsdale,
where Frank Lloyd Wright worked. It appears from the website that
there are tours every day, and that for the regular tours there's no
need to book in advance. But I'd be interested to hear any hints and
tips from people who've visited there before. Also, is it accessible
from Phoenix by public transport, or am I reliant on a car or taxi to
get there?

Taliesin West isn't actually in Phoenix.

Which is why the original poster said "I do want to visit Taliesin West in
Scottsdale."

I beleive these days
it's been incorporated with the Scottsdale city limits, but it
rather out on the desert. I don't beleive there is any public
transit there.

You are correct about the public transportation. You may be able to find a
tour bus that will take you there, though. I've seen tour buses there
several times. Try googling for it.

It is an active school, BTW, not just a museum.

Larry


--
Larry Finch

N 40° 53' 47"
W 74° 03' 56"

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 03:30:07 GMT, (Charles Hawtrey)
wrote:


How cheap do you want? Some of the best deals are from prepaid
providers that you access through a toll-free number. We use a
service called OneSuite (www.onesuite.com) which charges $0.039 per
minute to call the UK. You sign up online with a minimum $10 deposit
charged to your credit card.

.... and lots more useful stuff that I've snipped for brevuty. Thanks
to all who responded to my query

Martin

As far as the phone cards are concerned, there are good and bad ones. Some
claim to charge a low rate but will eat you up in various fees (monthly
charge or connection charge). So get one at a reliable location like
Wal-Mart or K-Mart or closely read the "rules". Often it is the local small
stores that sell the questionable cards. The more small print, the worse the
deal probably is.

Note that the cards advertise "minutes" but in fact they really are selling
you "units" where calls to US numbers are 1 unit (plus possible connection
units or other fees possibly charged as units). Calls to other countries
often are charged as multiple units for each minute.

Note that the cards work by having you call a toll-free number, then enter
your card number, then the number you wish to call. Nearly all hotels give
free access to toll-free numbers but some fancy ones have a hotel fee.
Verify this at your hotel. If you call from any private phone, it is free.
If you call from a public phone, the owner of the "public" phone charges the
owner of the toll free number a fee of about 30 cents so the prepaid card
"charges" you sufficient units to cover this charge. This is true of ALL
prepaid cards. Therefore, avoid public phones for using the prepaid card. If
you do use a public phone and if you need to make multiple calls, find out
how to make successive calls with one toll-free call so you only pay one
charge. Usually this means pressing # or * one or more times at the end of
your call to the receiving party.

In the US, all numbers include an "area code" and a 7 digit phone number.
Any number starting with an area code of 800, 866, 877 or 888 are toll free.

John


"Martin Rich" wrote in message
...
I'm planning a short ( 1 week) visit to Phoenix from the UK next
month, and was wondering about the simplest/cheapest way to phone
home. Looking at other threads on the subject in the group, it
appears that a card bought in the US is the best deal, but it would be
interesting to hear any particular recommendations. Also I wondered
whether there are cheap options for short-term rental of a mobile
(cell) phone. Of course there are other ways of keeping in touch, and
presumably a mobile phone isn't going to be a cheap way of phoning
home, but if there's an attractive deal on getting a mobile phone for
a few days I might be tempted by it.
Martin

Martin Rich wrote:
On a different tack I do want to visit Taliesin West

Well worth your while. I enjoyed it immensely. For more about me and
Frank (well, his work), read "Chicago" in the "Travel" section at the
site at Right in the sig.

And don't overlook the nearby Arizona Biltmore that Frank built. It
appears that he was left alone to do his own thing and it's a very
good thing that he did. The details are extraördinary.

Other worthwhile architecture there is a tall building standing apart
near downtown Phoenix. I forget its name but I think it begins with
"C". I was drawn to it from a distance as it has optical illusions
that I couldn't figure out. Accompanying it is a pleasant sculpture
garden. In Scottsdale is the lavish Phoenecian with an exquisitely
lovely golf course, excellent collection of statuary, and a nice
display of succulents.

Even were there public transportation (I simply don't know whether
there is) the walks from what appear to be entrances to the actual
destination can be quite long. I'm always there Independence Day
week-end (oh, you're in the UK. We celebrate kicking out King George
on July 4) when there is no street life during daylight. And probably
none after the sun sets, too.
__________________________________________________ __________
A San Franciscan in (where else?) San Francisco
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net

From: (Icono Clast)

Other worthwhile architecture there is a tall building standing apart
near downtown Phoenix. I forget its name but I think it begins with
"C".

Possibly the Tovrea Castle?

dy (Bill Hilton) wrote in message ...
From: (Icono Clast)

Other worthwhile architecture there is a tall building standing apart
near downtown Phoenix. I forget its name but I think it begins with
"C".

Possibly the Tovrea Castle?

No.

Tell us about the Tovrea Castle. Might visit next year.

Not a funny sig:
__________________________________________________ __________
Southern California's Four Seasons:
Earthquake, Mudslide, Brushfire, and Riot
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net