Travel Tips Blog and Statistics
-
Woman's Day Prints Disputed Article about Travel Agents
I like women’s magazines and read them (one happy reason to see the dentist). My colleagues at SITA World Tours pointed out an article in Woman’s Day which niggled.
The article is “9 Things Travel Agents Won’t Tell You” by Anne Roderique-Jones. Every consumer-driven article is good for the public. But this one had so many misinterpretations, it screamed for a response. The author faults agents for being commission-based, for not going everywhere they sell, for hawking un-needed insurance, etc. Here is my response for what it takes.…
-
A/C issues in hotels abroad
Europe is hot! So when you plan your trip,look for a/c but expect something more like a fan
Here are some tricks of the a/c world.
Here are some tricks of the a/c trade.
Ask if the hotel is air conditioned all night. Many hotels turn the air off in the middle of the night for economies.
Ask if “climate controlled” is actually air conditioning and get it in writing. Many websites use the wording climate controlled.
Ask if the public rooms have the same low temperature setting as the hotel rooms- they often are set lower.…
-
Yogurt on the Road
If you are a yogurt lover, you will- what my dad called ‘kvell’ at yogurt overseas. Different from our products, yogurt overseas is creamier, less sugary and comes in smaller containers ( better for calorie control). Flavors might be different. (the UK, for instance, has rhubarb and hazelnut yogurts).
When you travel, bring along a plastic spoon or two. Go to the local supermarket for a hunt ( the word is pretty much the same in every language). You will find Danon and other recognizable brands even in India.…
-
Telephone Roaming: A Dangerous Way to Break the Bank Overseas
After hours on the phone with AT&T discussing costs overseas and getting complicated answers…. I moved on to the web to find clearer instructions. The goal was to be able to get emails overseas by turning on and off the roaming function a few times a day to glance at important emails.
As hard as AT&T operators tried, their answers seemed vague and mega bites are hard to quantify for the nonengineering brain. How many megabytes in our plan cover how many emails?…
-
Earplugs not Earrings: Travel Tips for Women
In a British hospital having my first son, Nick, a nurse told me to buy earplugs to block noise, when he was in the nursery. In Britain in those days, mothers recovered from childbirth in a room with 5 others and all 6 babies. One or two nights the babies stayed in the nursery to give us rest before going home.
Earplugs have been my best friend ever since. If you are a light sleeper or just want extra guarantees while traveling, invest in earplugs.…
-
Women's Jeans for Traveling: what do you think?
A number of women responded to the comment that Jeans make American women targets overseas.
Here is why I don’t wear jeans anymore on trips:
They are heavy. Switch them out of your travel wardrobe, and switch in lightweight conservative colored walking/hiking pants. These can look like street clothes if you choose the ones without leg pockets. I wear Royal Robbins, LL Bean, Columbia, but there are many. I look for those that have hidden pockets and deep ones. (Great places to tuck some money for incidentals).…
-
Dumbest things women do on airplanes
Dumbest things women do on airplanes:
——-Put on makeup as the plane is descending; so they do not listen to instructions.
——-Expect others to help them with their carry on suitcases and paper shopping bags. This is the worst when the airplane is coming back from a shopping destination.
——-Hide extra carry on on their laps under a blanket.
——-Wear platform shoes and skinny jeans- bad for circulation and evacuation if need be.
——-Spritz themselves with perfume or slather on perfumed creams.… -
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?…
-
Asiana Airlines: where was the crew?
I was on an American Airlines Boeing 767 years ago, where there was an engine loss over the Atlantic. The crew was everywhere helping, talking, comforting, holding passenger hands when needed. They were amazing, putting their training into action. In the Times article about Asiana this morning, this crew/pilot assistance is missing according to passengers interviewed.
A frequent flyer on the Asiana route, a Mr. Levy, describes how he opened the emergency door, helped 30-40 passengers leave the plane and never saw or heard a crew member.…
-
Choosing the least crowded airport
If you can choose between more than one airport, choose the long distance international one for long weekends and the short haul domestic one for long vacation periods.
Here is the example, on July 4 weekends out of NY, JFK is empty but LaGuardia mobbed. Most people are traveling for 3-4 days short distances from LaGuardia. So if you can find a flight from JFK to your destination, use it for a less crowded terminal experience. On traditional longer holiday period like Christmas / New Year the opposite might work out better.…
