the travel pirates

Happy talk like a pirate day!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:48:00 +0000

Arghhhhh!!! It's me favorite day of the year!

Talk Like a Pirate Day [Official Site]
How to talk like a pirate [WikiHow]
Pirate talk translator [TalkLikeAPirateDay.com]

How to score the best hotel room

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:08:00 +0000

There was a great article in the New York Times over the weekend about how to score the best room possible for your next hotel stay. Quite honestly, it was a concept that I haven't thought much about personally, but I am going to try some of these tricks during my next stay...

Some tips:

Ask the check-in staff for a preferred room. If you state your expectations upfront, surprisingly, they are often met.
Consider asking the check-in staff to let you view a few rooms before you make your final selection. Oftentimes rooms on several floors - and with several views and noise levels - can be reserved for the same price. (Also, if the check-in staff doesn't want to be bothered by accommodating this request - and if the hotel has availability - sometimes you can score a free room upgrade just by asking to do this...)
Want to increase your odds? Consider offering a $20-$40 tip. It works. If you feel uncomfortable tipping, find out how to do it more effectively. Tipping really is a required skill for every savvy world traveler.
Women are pickier. I guess that's true about a lot of things, but when it comes to room selection women are more likely to ask for a better room than the dudes. Dudes just want a minibar...
Visit TripKick - like one of my favorite sites for choosing the best seat on an airplane, SeatGuru, TripKick aims to provide the same guidance for hotels. For the hotels they list - and yes, the pickings are slim today, but they are growing as fast as they can - TripKick will tell you want hotel rooms to seek out and what hotel rooms to avoid.

Finally, I will put in my two cents for my favorite hotel chain, Starwood. I'm a low level member in their loyalty program and even carry their AMEX card. This means that I'll get upgraded to their nicer Club Floors if a room is available during my stay. For my 2+ week visit to Kuwait City where I stayed at Starwood's Le Meridien, it was absolutely fab. So, I stay loyal to Starwood properties as they treat me well on room selection. If you are loyal to any hotel chain, I suspect you get the same treatment.

But I guess even among that preferred status, I could still spend a little more time choosing a room with the best view. Good to know!

Heads Up - You're giving me that room? No way! [New York Times]
TripKick [Official Site]
TripKick's Insider Tips [Official Site]
International tipping etiquette [BBC]

You mean this airline wasn't already bankrupt?

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:02:00 +0000

Alitalia just declared bankruptcy today? I could have sworn it had been there for years. What a piece of crap this airline is.

Alitalia is so bad ("how bad is it?") that it makes US Airways look awesome...and you know how bad you have to be to do that!

Alitalia seeks bankruptcy measure [BBC News]
Alitalia [Official Site]

High gas prices force P. Diddy fly AA

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:38:00 +0000

Awww...pitty poor P. Diddy who informs us in his odd vlog post that he has been forced to fly commercial now that gas prices are "too motherf&*(ing high" (yes, the attached video clip does contain some bad language).

Diddy shares a bit of insight into the high price of flying private...informing us that two round trips between NYC and LAX on his personal jet now cost him between $200,000 and $250,000. I have no idea what the price was before, but this is too motherf&*(ing high, people!

So, there he is in his video post boarding an American Airlines flight...and, it gets better...he's sitting in coach. Diddy doesn't seem too happy about it, so I'm not sure AA will be using him in their next ad campaign. Who knows? Maybe he'd like that new wifi service.

You know it's hard out there for a pimp when Diddy has to fly commercial.

It's a motherf&*(ing tragedy.

Storsjoodjuret Alert! Yeah, you heard me...

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:45:00 +0000

It's becoming quite obvious to anyone that reads this drivel that I'm obsessed with mythical creatures. I was let down by the Georgian Bigfoot (aka RickMat) earlier this month, but this time I will not be disappointed...

Yes, we have a Storsjoodjuret sighting in Sweden. What's that you ask? It's Sweden's very own Loch Ness Monster! Did you know they had one? I had no idea. The Storsjoodjuret has been talked about since 1635 - and a story that old just has to be true. Right?

As I can't even pronounce Storsjoodjuret, I shall call this glorious beast Joodi (aka Judy)

The Storsjoodjuret is a snake-like creature that supposedly has fins on it's back and a head like a dog. That's insane! Well, hopefully we'll find out more soon as Swedish television has released video of a creature that could be the Storsjoodjuret. Says a member of the film crew:

"It clearly shows that it's warm and is made up of cells, otherwise our cameras wouldn't indicate red, so it can be a sea snake or some other kind of sea animal,"

They are setting up 30 more cameras in 2009 to monitor the lake for additional Storsjoodjuret activity. Swim Joody, swim!

So, where do you need to travel to visit this rare creature? I visited Loch Ness last year (beautiful place!) and I'm up for a new adventure. Joodi and the other Storsjoodjuret can (maybe) be found in Storsjon, Sweden.

Storsjon is about 7 hours northwest of Stockholm in rural Sweden. Besides the mythical beast sightings, I bet it's simply goregeous terrain.

I have to get there. Joodi, I'm coming for you!

Sweden's 'Loch Ness Monster' captured on film [Daily Telegraph]
Storsjoodjuret [Official Site?]
Storsjoodjuret [Wikipedia]

The Consumerist hates US Airways too

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:36:00 +0000

Ah, yes... It's another chance to rip on US Airways (and airline who - you guessed it - remains dead to me). I just can't resist it...this time it's via a great blog, The Consumerist, who has ranked the top 3 most and least fee crazy airlines. Guess who's on top?

U.S. Airways: Not only does U.S. Airways have the distinction of being the only US airline to charge for water, they were also the first to discontinue free snacks. They've also decided to do away with in-flight entertainment. So what will you think about while you're bored, hungry and thirsty? How about that $15 first checked bag fee, the $25 second checked bag fee, the $5-30$ fee to choose your favorite economy class seat, and the whopping $250 fee you paid to change your ticket. Oh, yeah, and remember when they made everyone crazy by charging a $5 fee to book a ticket... with their own website?

Actually, the $250 fee is what US charges to change an international ticket. It's only $150 to change a domestic USA ticket. A bargain!

Repeat after me: "US Airways sucks and I will do all possible to never fly them again."

United Airlines: United is following U.S. Airways lead with a combination of cutting amenities and introducing fees. They've done away with snacks and are selling "snack boxes." Soon, United will be raising the prices for these items and economy class passengers will be expected to pay $9 for a sandwich. While you're munching on that overpriced nonsense, you can add up the following fees: $15 to check your first bag, $25 for the second bag, and $125 for the third. Then there's the $25 you paid to book your ticket over the phone, the $125 you paid for the privilege of traveling with your pet in the cabin, and of course, the $349 per year that you pay to be able to "stretch out and relax in comfort in seats located at the front of the Economy section,".."if available."
(tie) Delta Airlines & American Airlines: American was the first airline to charge for the 1st checked bag, and Delta has managed to resist that fee — but Delta's other fees are just so darn expensive that we had to call this one a tie. Ultimately, it costs more to check two bags with Delta than it does with U.S. Airways, United, or American. American currently charges $15 for the first bag, $25 for the second, and from $3-6 for snacks. Delta charges nothing for the first checked bag, but if you're thinking of checking two bags, get ready to pay $50 for the second bag, and $125 for the third bag. Ouch! Delta's snacks are complimentary, but they charge from $1-10 more for certain special items.

Hmmm...#3 is a tough one. When I first read that Delta and American were tied, I thought no way, Delta was better here. But, now that American is rolling out inflight wifi - which is a fee I'll gladly pay - I think better of them these days...I can't help it!!

So, who's the top three? Why it's the "no-frills airlines" who have become the "high -frills airlines" these days. #1 least crazy is Southwest Airlines, #2 is AirTran Airways and #3 is JetBlue. I love them all.

Read more about the Consumerist's report by clicking through the link below.

In closing, US Airways sucks and thank you for your time.

Airline Fees: Top 3 Most and Least Crazy Airlines [The Consumerist]
Southwest Airlines [Official Site]

Wish I was HERE!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:05:00 +0000

Okay, I admit it. I've been in bit of a posting funk. I'm sorry.

First off, finding out that the North Georgia Bigfoot sighting wasn't real just totally stomped on my buzz. You know what I'm talking about? Of course you do. Admit it, you wanted to believe it too! I do think it's funny that when the gig was clearly up "RickMat" mysteriously disappeared. They should have issued another press release - one that said "got ya, suckas!"

But in reality, I've just been lazy and busy at the same time (yes, it's possible!) and enjoying the tail end of summer in any of my downtime.

But this story required a post.

Do you know what today is? No, not just the day we discuss Hillary's orange pantsuit. Today was the Annual Tomatina Festival in Bunol, Spain. What's that you ask? Well, it's a festival of mysterious origins that started in the 1940s. While it's a week long party, the big event is on a Wednesday where there's a big old foot fight and people basically chuck tomatoes at each other. It has grown into one of those cool events that up to 40,000 people travel to from across the globe. Sweet!

The Tomatina Festival's main event always takes place on the last Wednesday in August. So, plan to meet me there next year on August 26 and I'll promise here and now to chuck a tomato at yer face.

And before you ask, Bunol is located southeast from Madrid - about 40 kms outside the lovely coastal city of Valencia. You can easily reach Bunol by bus or train from there.

Ah, I wish I was there lounging around with my tomato facial now...

Spaniards enjoy Tomato fest [The Sun]
La Tomatina [Wikipedia]

Photo Source

ANOTHER Big Foot sighting!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:05:00 +0000

No, this isn't it... :-)

Yes! It's another Big Foot sighting! And this time in Georgia (the US state, not the embattled ex-Soviet province). Dayum! I just returned from Atlanta today. I would have gone out and conducted my own investigation. Well...maybe not after reading the details:

It’s more than 7-feet tall. Weighs over 500 pounds and walked upright -- three "Bigfoot" seekers, including a Redwood City man, Wednesday claimed they have proof that they have found the body of the elusive creature in the wilds of Georgia.

Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer, Georgia residents who lead Bigfoot-tracking expeditions, say they found the body of what appears to be a Bigfoot in the woods of northern Georgia and will join local Bigfoot researcher Tom Biscardi at the news conference, according to Robert Barrows, who is publicizing the event.

Lest you not forget, north Georgia mountains is Deliverance country...there's a lot of crazy sh&t going on up there. But these blokes are dead serious in their claim and plan to unveil the details at a press conference on Friday. They have also dubbed their discovery Rickmat. Get it? For Rick & Matt? Nice one!

"I think you'll find that this is the real deal."

I sure hope so! Like Nessie, I want to believe in Big Foot! I also don't know what's lurking in those north Georgia mountains. First Hogzilla and now Rickmat? One thing I know for sure...I'm staying away!

(But if you want to go, the north Georgia mountains are smack dab between Chattanooga and Atlanta. About a hour or two drive from either city. Good luck!)

But speaking of my Atlanta trip, I want to send big kudos to United on the flights. They went out of their way by (1) giving out the entire soda can (such a treat!) but more importantly (2) treating the traveling members of our fine military like stars. They so deserve it and a little recognition went a long way - with all the passengers on board. Nicely done, United Airlines.

Big Foot trackers claim they found their prey [KTVU.com]
Deliverance (the movie) [imdb.com]
Searching for Big Foot [Official Site]
United.com [Official Site]

Traveling gnome returns home; does not visit Nome

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:09:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I never get tired of a good traveling gnome story. Here's one from the UK of a local garden gnome who got sick of the pedestrian life and decided to travel a bit. He's just returned home from a 12 country trip - with a photo album to boot!

Eve and Derrick Stuart-Kelso of Gloucester said they assumed the 8-pound leprechaun with a green hat had been stolen 11 months ago by college students and would never be seen again. But much to their surprise, the missing lawn ornament reappeared on their doorstep Thursday with pictures showing it in front of the Sydney Opera House in Australia, swimming in the Great Barrier Reef, atop a glacier in New Zealand, touring the ruins of Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple and visiting other exotic locations, the Daily Mail reported Monday.

The photo album was accompanied by a note that claimed to be from the gnome explaining his world tour was a result of "itchy feet."

"I came to the conclusion that the world is a big place and there is more to life than watching the daily commuter traffic, and allowing passing cats to urinate on you," the note said. "So I decided to free myself from the doldrums of the shire and seek adventure. My travels have taken me across three continents, 12 countries and more time zones than I can possibly remember."

Hmmm, gnome obviously prefers Asia. Nice! You know, he could probably get a gig working for Travelocity with those traveling skills!

Globe-trotting lawn gnome arrives home [UPI]
Travelocity [Official Site]

The best AA vs. Kayak report so far + my two cents

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:42:00 +0000

Is AA the shark and Kayak the kayak? Or is it vice versa?

As American Airlines and Kayak.com continue to fight (now with lawsuits a-flying!) and the news and blog reports continue to stack up, I guess I've got to say something on this. I don't know why I've been so lazy. Maybe it's because these tiffs usually work out quickly or maybe I'm too into watching that dreamy Michael Phelps swim for big gold on the plasma telly. But, thanks to this blurb from the Hartford Courant - which was the best article yet on the topic and shares a lot of my thinking - I thought I'd point to it and add a few of my thoughts.

Short term, Kayak is a big winner. I bet you a Euro that price-aggregator Kayak's site traffic has never been higher. The old adage "there's no such thing as bad PR" certainly holds true. But, Kayak hasn't had a lot of bad PR on this. Most reports rave about their search capabilities and point the finger at AA. This is invaluable.
Big kudos to Kayak for the use of their blog. While it's mostly senseless fluff (unlike this blog!) the official statements were good stuff. But, no kudos for the lack of comment on the AA lawsuit. I know the policy is not to comment on that stuff, but even just saying that may be better than saying nothing. It's a tough call...
You ain't nuthin' in the travel biz until you've been sued. Trust me, it's true. The business of travel is one sue-happy space...if this is Kayak's first lawsuit (and I highly doubt that) congrats. You're officially in the big leagues now!
Double digit capacity cuts will make an airline bold. Sure, AA is losing traffic from the loss of Kayak. But does it really matter if your capacity is significantly cut going into the fall? As there are fewer seats to fill, each individual channel matters less and makes an airline more apt to implement some bold changes. If the data shows ANY indication that they are surviving the loss of this channel, it's a sad state for Kayak. It's definitely not the best time to be in a pissing match with a crazy airline...meaning:
Long term, AA could be the winner here. Kayak already doesn't offer Southwest. Losing American - the nation's #1 and #2 airlines - is a SERIOUS blow to the value of meta search and Kayak's comprehensive marketing position. It's an even worse blow to Kayak as other online travel sites have AA listed and Kayak does not... ouch!
Bet your bottom dinar other airlines are watching this bar fight. Airlines are lemmings. And I suspect (just suspectin' here) a few others out there also aren't big fans of the big-K. Meaning, there is a significant risk for a pile-on effect as this fight continues.
Pity poor Orbitz. While nobody talks about it, Orbitz loses absolutely in this fight as Orbitz and their red-haired stepsister Cheaptickets were the "other channels" that Kayak sends airline traffic to. Sure customers who fly AA a lot will think to go to AA.com and check out flights even if they start a search on Kayak. Customers who fly AA a lot are less likely to think to go to Orbitz to look for those same flights. Orbitz desperately needs Kayak's referral traffic and unless things revert to as they were (unlikely!), Orbitz loses absolutely in this fight. As it all drags on I'll be very interested in seeing Orbitz's financial results in search for any bookings hit...

Finally, did Kayak's "we are your consumer advocate" tune sound just a bit hollow to you? It sure did to me. Their comments on the original TechCrunch article stated how they were being your consumer advocate as evil AA wanted Kayak to suppress other travel site results and valiant Kayak told them no. If Kayak was your true consumer advocate wouldn't they serve up results from all your favorite booking options (like Travelocity, Expedia or Priceline)? That's what a consumer advocate would do...show you all your options. Right?

The answer is of course not. Just follow the money. I highly suspect (just suspectin' here) that to get the deal with - and to get paid by - one of the OTAs, Kayak had to exclude the rest of them in their search results. Meaning, Kayak is their own best advocate - not yours.

I further suspect (again, just suspectin' here!) that Kayak's arrangement with Orbitz probably states that Orbitz search results must be served for all airlines Orbitz represents - or Orbitz doesn't pay (or doesn't pay Kayak as much). This means Kayak's in a bit of a pickle...and they (rightfully) pulled the "we are your friend" position out of the PR hat.

Finally, I still like Kayak and I still start my searches there. But I am starting to search an OTA (Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity) as well to get a true multiple-airline search. Then I usually flip over to the airline.com and buy the ticket. It's a pain in the a$$, and I may change my habits as this drags on, but I still like their search better than Farecast, Mobissimo and the other metas.

My bottom line in booking air is that I'm not paying no stinkin' service fee (but I should mention that on Priceline you don't pay a stinkin' service fee - for the OTAs, Priceline is the best of the lot).

That's my two cents...

Beer spa? Oh yeah, I'm there!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:39:00 +0000

This photo of Drew Carey is gonna give me nightmares...yikes!!

Beer spa! Did someone say beer spa? Dayum, I was in the Czech Republic a year or so back but I didn't know nothing about no beer spa...I have to schedule another trip!

Did you know that the Czechs drink more per capita (about 41.5 gallons per person annually) than anybody else in the world (and before you ask, Ireland and Germany are 2nd and 3rd and I don't know where the USA ranks so don't ask me). Back to the Czechs, let's do the math...41.5 gallons of beer is 14 1/2 ounces of beer a day or pretty much a pint a day. And, as I think the stat is across all residents, let's carve off the children and the poor non-drinkers and you have a helluva lot of beer being consumed. Party time! Excellent!

But back to the beer spa. It's located in Chodova Plana. It's about 2 hours west of Prague and near the German border. I think I drove very close to it...double dayum! And, no, it's not a bath in cold beer. The luscious brew is gently warmed to a cozy 93 degrees and infused with herbs and such. Sounds nice! Read more about it - and more history of beer in the Czech Republic - by clicking through the link.

Cheers!

Cheers to your health: Czech spa offers sudsy soaks [Chicago Tribune]
Chodova Plana, Czech Republic [Google Maps]

Linkapalooza - the top 10 and all drama edition

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Here's your periodic look at the best of travel on the web this week - complete with a play-by-play of the AA/Kayak dramz:

Travel inspiration, dreams & ideas:

The 10 best South Pacific Islands [Times Online]
The stone secrets of Easter Island - and I must add that Easter Island remains my #1 all time favorite trip... [Times Online]
Top 10 beaches in Europe [Guardian]
Top 10 clothing optional resorts (admit it, you know you wanna know) [Reuters]
36 hours in Denver [NY Times]
The locals guide to Edinburgh (if you are going there soon, this is a must read!) [Guardian]
Reader's guide to Beijing (ditto...if heading there soon, read this!) [Guardian]
The world's coolest hotel rooms [Times Online]
Wanna go "swimhiking"? [Guardian]

The business of travel (all drama edition):

AA no longer on Kayak.com Kayak says that AA wanted to suppress it's display [LA Times]
AA secretly offers customers who used Kayak.com bonus miles to bypass Kayak and book direct. Also says it didn't start the fire (yes, that was a lame Billy Joel reference) [DM News]
Kayak says AA is lying [Kayak.com Blog]
AA sues Kayak; saying "Oh no we didn't. You lied!" [Dallas Morning News]
Read the filing for yourself [Dallas Morning News]
Ryanair - fighting it's own battle against evil "scrapers" - says they'll just cancel the tickets wayward customers book on price comparison sites (and you just know the AA guys saw that and said "ooooh, good one!" - but what the sites Ryanair is objecting to are doing is way more underhanded - but it sucks that the customer sadly stuck in the middle in both of these stories...) [Guardian]

The bizarreness:

Just see AA/Kayak news above...
Funny travel signs - trust me, it's an amusing click! [Times Online]

[Super cool snap via Flickr]

When Perez Hilton covers travel....

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:33:00 +0000

...you know things must be bad. Or, it could be that Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan stayed indoors and we didn't have any pap shots and stupid quotes to dissect. Either way, he's right on - if you usually fly somewhere over the holiday season, you may want to book it now.

Domestic airline capacity cuts of 14% + locked in demand for holiday travel = expensive prices and quickly booked up flights.

Two tips I would add are to try flexible search when looking for airfares and check the days around the holiday to see if you can catch an "off-peak" deal. Also, do the analysis on drive or rail vs. fly... Be creative!

Or, how about make your relatives come to you this year?!?

Thankfully, Perez went back to reporting flimsy celebrity nonsense soon thereafter.

Whew!!

This is DRASTIC [Perez Hilton]

US Airways named "stingiest airline" - tell me something I don't know

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:45:00 +0000

Maybe US should just put one of these onboard...

It's been a few weeks since I railed on US Airways. So, let's go at them again - and yes, before you ask, they remain dead to me. Time Magazine, doing their take on the new airline fees, ranked the major airlines from the most generous to the most stingy. As expected, US Airways hands down takes the stingy spot. Ain't that the truth. Here's their list:

1. Southwest
The one major airline that is bucking the trend of increasing fees, Southwest still doesn't charge for checked bags (up to two), nonalcoholic drinks, blankets or making a change to your flight. The discount airline has even launched an ad campaign to brag about that fact. Its new slogan: "Fees don't fly with us."

2. Virgin America
In these straitened times, a pretty good deal: your first checked bag is free (the second is $25), drinks and pillows are free too, and the fee for changing flights is a relatively nominal $75.

3. Delta
Among the major carriers, Delta has done the best job of holding the line on fees: no charge for the first checked bag ($25 to $50 for the second), free drinks and blankets, and a flight-change fee that hasn't increased from $100.

4. JetBlue
If it doesn't turn up the air-conditioning and force you to buy that blanket and pillow, the airline is still relatively flyer-friendly: no charge for the first checked bag, free soft drinks and unlimited snacks, and a $100 change fee.

5. Continental
No charge for the first checked bag ($25 for the second), and it's holding the line on the other freebies, like drinks and blankets, as well as still offering free meals like sandwiches, burgers and pizza. But it recently raised its change fee from $100 to $150.

6. Northwest
Recently increased the fee for making flight changes to $150, to go along with a $15 charge for the first checked bag ($25 for the second). Nonalcoholic drinks and blankets are still free.

7. American
Also hitting you up for $150 to make flight changes, and charging $15 to $25 for the first and second checked bags, with soft drinks and bedding still gratis.

8. United
A similar package: $15 to $25 for checked-bag fees; $150 to make flight changes. Plus an extra wrinkle: if you get to the airport early and want a confirmed seat on an earlier flight, United will charge you $75 — better than the $150 change fee, but higher than the $50 most other airlines charge.

9. USAirways
Broke new ground last week by starting to charge for all beverages: $2 for a soft drink (or even a bottle of water); $1 for coffee or tea. Checked bags cost $15 and $25; flight changes are $150.

While I haven't flown Virgin America (they don't fly to my town yet!) I pretty much agree with Time's list. I did fly on AA yesterday and let me tell you that drink cart flew down the aisle! You had one chance to get that dixie-sized cup of water or soda and whosh it was gone in a flash. But, heck I didn't have to pay for it yet, so I guess I can't knock it.

Best (read: most frustrating) quote of the article is from US Airways' talking head Michelle Mohr. (Gee, put her down with the Iraqi tourism dude as having one of the least desirable jobs in travel):

"Customers understand the cost of doing business with these fuel prices, they don't expect a free hot dog at the ballpark."

Nice... Well Michelle, if I paid anywhere near the same price for a US Airways ticket as I do for a ticket to the ballpark I'd have no problem paying for my hotdog (err...drink). That's the Ryanair model and it has legs on cheapo airfares. The problem is that US Airways thinks they can charge $400+ for a ticket and then make you pay on top of that for a stupid cup of water. When drinks used to be free and tickets used to be cheaper - and you're competitors (thankfully) aren't as stupid as you are on this (yet) - it's a tough pill to swallow Ms. Mohr.

(Although I must add that early reports are saying 1) that many people are buying their drinks in the terminal and this plan isn't working so great for poor US Airways and 2) if you biatch enough on a US flight, your poor suffering flight attendant will most likely get you a free cup of water).

I have no plans to find out if either one of these points is true as US Airways remains dead to me!

Airline fees: Who's the stingiest? [Time]

Say what again & again?

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:51:00 +0000

Okay, this week is getting to be too much! I know I should be writing about AA & Kayak hating on each other (and I probably will before the week is out as it appears they are nowhere near settling), but I can't help but write about something far more important first - that being the crazy lawsuit between wealthy Houston preacher Joel Osteen and a flight attendant for Continental Airlines. Okay, it may not be far more important, but it is far more wacky - and that's saying something in this business!

Lawsuit stems from a flight Joel and family took from Houston to Vail in December 2005. Joel's wife Victoria (a classic Texas blonde with what I like to call the "Texas Claw" hairdo) is accused of assaulting a flight attendant. The story is (allegedly) this:

Victoria Osteen [is accused of becoming] irate after ordering a flight attendant to clean up liquid that was spilled on the armrest of her first-class seat.

"One thing led to another and that's when Mrs. Osteen assaulted Continental flight attendant Sharon Brown," McKamie said. "She threw her against the lavatory door and she elbowed her in her breast."

I believe this all took place before the flight took off because the Osteens ended up deplaning and taking another jet to Vail. The part that really gets me is this:

Brown wants an apology and wants to punish Victoria Osteen with punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of her net worth.

McKamie says about his client that, "She was traumatized by it, the whole event - She was seriously injured by Victoria Osteen's conduct."

In the deposition taken for the case, Brown has also said the episode damaged her faith. Because of the status Victoria Osteen has as a spiritual leader, Brown now questions the legitimacy of other spiritual leaders including those at her own church.

According to court documents, Brown claims that she suffers from anxiety and hemorrhoids because of the incident. She is also suing Osteen for medical expenses for counseling.

Okay, the apology she deserves. Yes, she should get that if she hasn't already. But I could go off all day about "damaged faith." If that argument holds water then what about the followers of Jim Baker? Jimmy Swaggert? Those "drink the Kool-Aid" people from the 1970s? Now folks who followed those crazy chaps could certainly argue damaged faith...

But the part that really gets me is "anxiety and hemorrhoids?" Let me be more specific here...HEMORRHOIDS? I don't want to share too much of my personal history, but I've been in a bar fight or two in the past and I've never suffered HEMORRHOIDS. In fact, I just learned how to spell it properly thanks to this story! (and thank God for that!)

That's too much! I'm pretty shocked this lawsuit went to trial and count me down as Team Osteen. If the story went down any way as described then Victoria Osteen was in the wrong. I think she admits this as the Osteens freely paid a penalty to the FAA for flight interference. Also, I read somewhere before that Joel Osteen said that because of this incident - well, and because of the paychecks he earns - he won't fly commercial again.

But that does not make it a payday for the whacked out flight attendant. Sorry, but it doesn't. I've met many a whacked out flight attendant in my day, but this is surreal!

(And, back to Kayak/AA? Kayak is still my favorite place to start an airfare search and remember the old adage - there's no such thing as bad PR. I bet you 20 Euros their site traffic is higher than it's ever been since this brouhaha began. And good on them!)

Osteens in court from airline incident [Christian Web News]
Joel Osteen Ministries [Official Site]

Must visit: Redneck Stonehenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:41:00 +0000

I could spend a whole week labeling posts "Say what?" There's just so much silliness to see in this wide world of ours. I almost did it again here, but decided to be more specific...

So, what am I doing this weekend? I'm heading to Hooper Utah (about 37 miles north of Salt Lake City) to check out the self-professed Redneck Stonehenge!

Rhett Davis said he used a backhoe and three old cars to construct the fence after neighbors who recently moved into their new homes next to his hayfield started complaining, the Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner reported Tuesday.

"The people who bought the homes say, 'Well, we love looking into your yard and seeing the horses and the cattle, but we don't like the flies, and we don't like the mosquitoes,' and when I cut my field to bale it, they say, 'We don't like the dust in the air,' " Davis said.

Davis said he has made peace with his neighbors and the fence was more of a joke than the product of spite.

"This is just a fun way for me to say, 'Hey boys, I'm still here,' so I started building a fence out of cars," he said. "This is my redneck Stonehenge."

Damn yuppies! But you know what? If Rhett is wordly enough to craft anything in effigy to Stonehenge then I'm sorry but he's no redneck! And, he's definitely my hero-du-jour!

And, no, the photo above is not from Redneck Stonehenge. It's from "Carhenge" near Alliance, Nebraska. I have to get there too!

That's what Redneck Stonehenge aspires to be!

Farmer constructs 'redneck Stonehenge' [UPI]
Getting to Hooper Utah [Google Maps]
Carhenge [Wikipedia]

Say what again???

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:09:00 +0000

I read the headline in absolute disbelief: "Holidaying parents in Israel leave daughter, 3, at airport." After the initial cringe, I knew I had to click to read more.

Appears that an unnamed Israeli family leaving Tel Aviv for a holiday in Europe - with 18 bags (yes, imagine the fees!) - forgot their 3 year old daughter at the airport. They were in a mad rush to catch the flight and little girl just didn't make it. She was found in the Duty Free Shop asking where her family is. And, yes, just like that lovable flick Home Alone, the family's plane was off and on it's way before they realized it:

The couple and their five children were late for a charter flight to Paris on Sunday and made a dash to the gate. In the confusion, their daughter got lost.

Israel police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said a policeman found her wandering in the duty-free area at Ben-Gurion airport, Israel's main international air portal. He said the officer alerted airline staff, but the flight had already taken off. Rosenfeld said the parents, who were sitting separately, were unaware they had boarded the aircraft with only four children instead of five until they were informed by cabin staff after 40 minutes in the air.

So, let's get this right...unlike Home Alone the parents didn't realize on their own that their 3-year-old wasn't onboard the plane. They didn't realize it until they were notified by the inflight cabin crew. Nice...huh? Parents of the year nominees!

But the part of the story I especially like is that the outcome was that the child traveled - accompanied - on the very next flight to Paris and was reunited with careless Mom and Dad. I can't help but imagine what would have happened in the US. They would have hauled their asses off to Family Services for grilling and possibly a bit of jail time (yes, I know, this didn't happen in Home Alone...but that's a movie and this is real life!). While I'm all for a child being reunited with her family, these parents need a bit of a slap...

Now I know kids can be trouble to manage. I know that five kids is a lot. I know that airports can be hectic. But, I'm sorry. If you don't even know your 3-year-old child didn't make the flight until you are told by the crew you are one helluva bad parent. There, I said it.

Also, what about kiddie's four brothers? Surely she was supposed to be sitting next to one of them who would have noticed her absence, right? A 3-year-old doesn't sit all alone... Also, while the article doesn't say it, you know the kids were in coach and the parents were in first or business class. Nice... actually that happened in Home Alone too.

I just scratch my head - and I'm glad all turned out okay. I mean, thank God she didn't run across Joe Pesci in a wool cap robbing houses. But, damn kid...you really deserve better!

Holidaying parents in Israel leave daughter, 3, at airport [Guardian]
Home Alone [Amazon.com]

Say what???

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:22:00 +0000

You know, I've always wondered if this could happen when some hefty-sized seat mates plonk down next to me on a flight. Or, heck, I wonder it even in regards to myself if I've had a big meal or three... Read on:

A United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Sunday evening was forced to make an emergency landing after a row of seats gave way during takeoff and slid into the row behind it, injuring one passenger.

United flight 1139 took off as scheduled at 5:20 p.m., said Robin Urbanski, spokeswoman for the airlines. But minutes later, a bolt holding down three occupied seats in Row 3 loosened and the seats slid backward into the three passengers in Row 4. The pilot turned the plane around and returned to the airport.

A woman unfortunately seated in Row 4 reported an injured knee. While I hope she gets better I can't help but wonder the collective weight of Row 3 and if it was unusually high...

Crazy!

Row of seats on United Airlines flight collapses forcing emergency landing [Seattle Times]

Linkapalooza - all bizarreness edition

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:07:00 +0000

There's been a lot of bizarreness lately. So, let's just skip the rest this time and focus on what's truly important!

The bizarreness:

OMG!!! Big Foot spotted in Canada! [UPI]
Swedish dwarf checked as luggage...almost! [UPI]
China will punish airlines if their customers misbehave [Reuters]
Angry Chinese passengers smash computers (this may be why the link above exists) [Reuters]
Texas man caught stealing jet fuel (hint: it doesn't work in cars!) [UPI]
Woman finds Cheesus (yes, that's a Cheeto Jesus) NECN.com
Drunken Aussie awakes Swedes in Scottish hotel [UPIG
Dubai's $1.5 BILLION Atlantis themed hotel is now open (oh, that nutty Dubai!) [Times Online]
Speaking of nutty Dubai...Emirates Airlines ditching their magazine to save the environment. However, thinks extra fuel required to haul gallons of water for first class showers must be okay for Mother Earth [Guardian & NY Times]
Let's not ignore Dubai's Emirates neighbor, Abu Dhabi and the world's first $1,000,000 vacation package [Independent]
Watch out for the naked sunbathers on the newly opened Germany/Poland border [Guardian]
World's 10 silliest sporting events [Guardian]

[Awesome photo via Flickr]

Hello lovers!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:37:00 +0000

Two really big things in travel stole my heart this week:

1. Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic:

Soar 50,000 feet in the air, touch the edge of space and experience weighlessness during the 3 1/2 hour journey. The price? Only $200,000 a seat (that's $952 a minute!). While 250 cake-eaters have already signed up, the official launch date is expected in about 18 months.

(If you don't have the funds handy, the Powerball jackpot is currently $75 Million...)

2. Emirates Airlines' new A380 with onboard First Class showers:

Emirates Airlines puts their new A380 into this week serving JFK to Dubai. The double decker - 50% larger than a 747 - is the world's largest passenger aircraft. Emirates' First Class cabin offers private cabins and bathrooms complete with showers. The price of a ticket? $14,635 For the 13 hour 45 minute journey this amounts to just $9 a minute (round trip).

It's a steal! And I don't know about you, but I get pretty dirty in 13 hours and 45 minutes...

Branson unveils mothership in latest step towards putting tourists in space [Guardian]
On the Road - An airliner outfitted to wash, rinse & repeat [NY Times]
Emirates Airlines [Official Website]

Rats! I'm not going here!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:37:00 +0000

That's a burrito in the photo...but you get the idea, don't you?

Newfoundland Canada has a problem. A rats problem. A big rats problem. Like rats as big as a two-liter bottle of soda problem. Hold onto your stomach and read on:

Rats as big as a 2-liter soda bottle, attracted by garbage, have the Canadian residents of a Newfoundland island community saying enough is enough.

About 20 people from Stag Harbour on Fogo Island manned a picket line Monday, stopping anyone from dropping off more garbage at an open dump, the Canadian Broadcast Corp. reported.

The CBC reported the protesters had stories about the rodents scurrying around their backyards and basements, and digging through garbage.

"There was a rodent in the trap in the basement the size of a 2-liter Coke bottle," town resident Stephanie Miller had told CBC News last week.

Yikes!!! I don't know what I'd do if I found a rat in my house that size. Probably put the house up for sale and move immediately! Good grief!

(Yes, the tourist parts of the island appear to be largely unaffected - but beware!)

Rats plague Canadian islanders [UPI]
Newfoundland, Canada [Google Maps]

Travel writers share favorite packing tips

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:10:00 +0000

It's the "fold and roll!"

I always (err, sometimes) pay attention to the experts. I was especially chuffed to read tips for effective luggage management (also called packing!) from world renown travel experts - you know, the travel writers of the world. Their guidance:

Pack a pashmina. Family travel writer Kate Pocock of Toronto says, "it will keep you warm in overly air-conditioned buildings in the tropics, also in cool northern climes." It also doubles as a headscarf in Arab countries and as an extra blanket on airplanes. "For me," admits Pocock, "my pashmina is my Linus blanket when travelling."
Use zip-lock bags in many sizes. Judy Wade, a Phoenix-based travel writer with over 30 years of packing experience says she uses the larger sizes for things such as wet swim suits and muddy running shoes, medium ones for toiletries, and small sandwich-size bags for film, prescription medication, a partially-used bar of soap, a mini-first-aid kit.
Pack your stuff in plastic bags. James Yenckel, 16-year travel writer for the Washington Post, now contributor to Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine and assorted daily newspapers, packs everything in plastic. Two or three shirts or pair of pants to a sweater bag, he says. Underwear in one bag. Socks in another. He says, "the bags protect these items from wrinkling, it's easy to unpack and repack, and the plastic bags keep clothing from getting wet when luggage sits in the rain on the airport tarmac."
Use the "fold and roll" system. Travel writer and author Sally McKinney of Indiana also subscribes to the "fold and roll" packing plan. She groups pants or skirts and tops in the colour sets she plans to wear, adds companion pieces in folded layers, then rolls each set into a coil. "With the coils placed in the suitcase sideways," she says, "I can easily see which set I want."
Throw it away. Shirley Linde, editor of SmallShipCruises.com goes the disposable route: toothpaste tubes that just have a few days left in them, a toothbrush that is due for replacement, the panty part of old panty hose. She throws then away day-by-day and returns with a lighter suitcase. She adds that most cruise ships keep their dining rooms and show lounges "way too cold" so she always packs a versatile jacket or sweater for evenings.
Plan a basic color scheme. Travel and spa writer Anne Dimon sticks to two or three basic colours that can be mixed and matched. Add one great belt that will turn a day-time ensemble into a special evening look, plus one or two large scarves to use as evening shawls, wrap around the neck if the weather is chilly, or wear as a sarong with a bathing suit, and you're ready to go.

I love the "fold and roll" system. And, I swear when I don't do it my bag - filled with the same crap - weighs a good deal more. I know it's impossible, but I swear to you it does... Anyway read more about these tips and learn a few more at the great link below. Good stuff!

In other luggage news, Ryanair announces carry-on luggage only flights. Yes, I'm being serious!! It appears they hate checking my bag as much as I do...

Packing tips from those who travel for a living [Canada.com]
Ryanair to launch hand luggage-only flights [Guardian]

Tour de You! 10 top European bicycle rides

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:24:00 +0000

Hey sports lover...bike this!

Congratulations to Spain's Carlos Sastre who won this year's Tour de France on Sunday. He finished the 23-day 3,500 kilometer (that's 2,175 miles to you and me) race in 87 hours, 52 minutes and 52 seconds. That's freaking incredible!!

While I'll never be fit enough to even complete a single stage of the Tour, the fine folks at the UK's Guardian put together their list of 10 top European bike rides. They are:

1. Yorkshire Dales, England
2. South Downs, England
3. Ireland
4. Belgium
5. French Alps
6. French Pyrenees
7. Provence, France
8. Italian Dolomites
9. Picos de Europa, Spain
10. Peloponnese, Greece

Do click through the link below and read a review of each ride and find some useful links to tour companies that will guide you on each trip. I personally don't know how I could bike through gorgeous France without partaking in the fine wines - which I predict would result in a nasty accident...

But then again, French wines are the best incentive to get you through the miles on each day's trek, right?

10 top cycle rides in Europe [Guardian]
Sastre wins Tour de France [Bloomberg]

Scam alert! If you didn't just buy a ticket, don't open that email!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:17:00 +0000

Be aware! There's a widely circulating email scam out there disguised as an airline purchase confirmation email. This email informs you that you've just bought an airline ticket and directs you to click on the attachment to print out the ticket details.

As you know you didn't just purchase an airline ticket, naive users may be inclined to click on the attached file. But don't do it! This attachment is a .zip file attachment containing a nasty virus.

"Customers should be aware that these e-mails are not coming from the airline," said Al Lenza, NWA's vice president for e-commerce. "NWA itineraries are specific and contain information that customer will recognize. If the format does not look familiar to you, and you have not recently purchased a ticket, do not open the attachment. Delete the e-mail right away."

The scam email has been sent under most US airline brands, including Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, US Airways, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines and Midwest Airlines.

Again, if you get an airline purchase email and you have not purchased a ticket, delete the email immediately!

So, who's the idiot to blame? Some Russian, it appears - and I have to admit, I'm kinda impressed a Ruskie hacker knows who Sun Country, Allegiant and Midwest Airlines are!

Heck, I'd bet you most Americans don't even know who those airlines are!

NWA , Sun confront virus-toting email [Minneapolis Star]

Linkapalooza - best skyline views in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Elle) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

The best of travel on the web from the past-few-weeks-while-I've- been-away-with-unstable-internet-connections:

Travel inspiration, dreams & ideas:

10 best skyline views in New York City [Times Online]
48 hours in Copenhagen (a bit higher brow than my trip...) [Independent]
36 hours in Dublin (Note: involves some beer drinkin') [NY Times]
Explore Moldova's wine caves [LA Times]
Cycling across Jordan [Times Online]
Celebrating Chicago's Lake Shore Drive [Washington Post]
Visit remote Alaska by train (the only way you can get there) [LA Times]
The complete guide to Italian art towns [Independent]

Travel intelligence:

The best free stuff you can score while on vacation [Reuters]
10 ways to save money when you travel [Guardian UK]
WorldHotels offers "stay in Europe, pay in dollars" promo [WorldHotels.com]
"Watch your back" airline booking tips [Portfolio]
How to find a good travel agent (hint: it may require a phone, not a computer) [Seattle Times]

The business of travel:

Ever fly Allegiant? They're profitable...and that's a rare thing these days! [USA Today]
AA and Kayak hate each other; decide to part ways [TechCrunch]
Expedia acquires Italian hotel website Venere.com [Hotel Blogs]
Frontier adds new fees (you mean they're still flying? Oh yes, and someone even gave them more money. Why? No idea... I still advise you don't fly them after Labor Day. Okay, maybe now Columbus Day) [Seattle Times]

The bizarreness:

Say it ain't so!! Saudi owner pulls booze from Egyptian hotel (Note to self: Don't stay there) [Guardian]
Court rules that Lesbians are not just from the Greek Isle of Lesbos [Reuters]
Family hops on wrong flight; travels 2,000 miles out of their way (I can't decide who's stupider on this one, the family or the airline?) {UPI]
Another idiot lawyer sues another airline (yawn) [USA Today]

[Awesome photo via Flickr]