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More on Asiana and escalators
I stand corrected; my colleague, Mary at SITA World Tours, tells me that she saw California news programs hailing the crew on the flight. My guru, Joe Sharkey, at the NYTimes also mentions two crew members helping out heroically.
Sometimes East coasters get different news from West coasters so I guess we need to read on line what the California papers are saying. But the fact remains that Asiana crew allowed passengers to carry of their luggage on the inflatable exits while others were still trapped?…
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Should Hotels Be Fairer to Solo Guests?
[polldaddy poll=7219256]…
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Warning on Egypt! But will insurers refund you?
There is a huge difference in the urgency of State Department announcements. Some are mere advisories but the one on Egypt today is serious. Do not go to Egypt on nonessential travel says State. And the UK Foreign Office concurs.
A further hint of danger is that the US has ordered the evacuation of nonessential government workers from Egypt. This is a giant red flag.
Does your insurance allow you to cancel and get refunded in cases like this? That is debatable and the grey areas are the definition of terrorism and the exact incidents that seem dangerous to the traveler.…
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How to Make Your Birthday Trip-Gift Fantastic
Some ideas to make a Birthday Trip-Gift last a long time.
For your sense of confidence, take a trip that has a little sizzle: a boat on the Ganges? an elephant ride in Northern Thailand? a walk through a Dowry Market in Pushkar? a visit to a poignant museum about apartheid?
For introspection: travel solo but in a group. You will learn new dynamics away from friends and away from home. You will also concentrate on yourself for a change.
For health: swear off all sugars and alcohol during the trip.…
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Solo Travel Tips: Are You in Danger?
Even if you are traveling with others, there might be a time when you go out alone. These tips will help you stay safe.
1. Check street safety in the English language newspaper of your destination. There are many sites with lists of these local papers.
2. Use Google translation to understand news in other languages before you leave.
3. Check not just the US, but also UK, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand Foreign Ministry news reports.4. If you go out with anyone you do not know extremely well, make them leave their national identity card with contact.…
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Statistics on Travel for Women
This email comes from The Women’s Travel Group/ SITA World Tours. Our luxury tours for women are ideal for this market. Please contact Phyllis Stoller for marketing ideas and Mary Barnett for agent commissions and bookings if you are a travel agent.
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“The number of women traveling solo is on the rise, according to figures from Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), who are recognizing the potential of this growing global trend and are now actively catering for women travelers.…
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Hating Fellow Travelers
Summer brings heat, humidity, thunderstorms, and delays. I hate everyone within two feet of me, under those circumstances, even more so, in a crowded airport with pesky passengers.
Create your own “dome” with a– good junk book preferably paperback so you can toss it after the flight. b– your own bottles of water even at crazy prices paid in airports c– some nibbles that are half healthful half naughty (Trader Joe’s trail mixes are full of good and bad ingredients) d- clothes with easy slip-on slip-off shoes and minimum zippers (give in to elastic waistbands here), e- an attitude that allows those in more discomfort to go ahead of you.…
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Turkey Travel Safety now Cancellations for Brazil?
Twitter and social media are spurring riots in both countries. Should you cancel your trips? Let’s assume you are NOT getting your money back from your travel vendor.
We have talked about this before. First, make sure the rioting is exactly where you are going. If so, is it in one neighborhood or city-wide?
Are airlines canceling flights there? Does your hotel website have a notice about problems?
In some cases, riots are limited to university areas, so avoid them when you book your hotel in fragile places.…
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Horrible Hotel Amenities?
Even if you do not use the products, take hotel amenity bottles home. Why?
They have measurements on the labels showing their liquid content.You can refill them with your own products, in order to pass TSA liquid carry on security standards. If you are taking a quick weekend trip, say over July 4, you might want to go carry on. An obstacle might be the size of your personal products. Most plastic bottles sold as ‘travel kits’ have no labels and will NOT work for carrying on even if tiny.…
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Are Women 'Travel Victims'?
News about crime abroad seems to focus on women. Though rape in India is less frequent than in most developed countries, the press covers it disproportionately. The latest article about an unfortunate American woman in India, who was raped, includes that she got into a truck with three strange men. Obviously she did not deserve to be raped or hurt anyway, but would you get into a truck with strangers of any type and anywhere?
My issue with the coverage is that the media uses her case to publish endless articles about women and safety, describing us victims.…
