Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!How to Find a Good Tour Company
By Linda Tancs
Granted, there hasn’t been much news lately of a tour company going belly up, stranding hundreds of passengers and stripping them of their tour and deposit monies–not to mention peace of mind. The majority of tour operators are stable and reputable, but do your homework nonetheless. Check with the Better Business Bureau in the city in which a tour company you plan on using is doing business. You can also download a list of members of the U.S. Tour Operators Association at www.ustoa.com. Each tour company member is required to carry $1 million in security in the form of a bond or letter of credit held in trust by the USTOA to reimburse travelers against the operator’s financial instability or other failures. With over $9 billion in sales volume, that’s a lot of money to look after so be sure to finish your homework.
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A Tour of India
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is India. India no doubt conjures up images of exotic spices and snake charmers. But there’s so much more to this diverse land bounded by the Indian Ocean to the south, the Arabian Sea to the west, and the Bay of Bengal to the east. So take a whirlwind tour of points north, south, east and west at www.travelrificradio.com.
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Biking It in London
By Linda Tancs
If cycling is your passion, then be sure to rent a bicycle during your London stay from Go Pedal (www.gopedal.co.uk). They’ll deliver your bike(s) to the address you provide. Discount pricing is available for multiple rentals and multiple days. Lights, child trailers and organized tours are available for a fee as well. Now, go pedal!
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Carry-On Rules Vary
By Linda Tancs
Is a monkey nestled in a hat an acceptable piece of carry-on luggage? Probably not, although it’s difficult to imagine how that one got by the Peruvian authorities. This incident does call to mind nonetheless the varying interpretations of what constitutes a piece of carry-on luggage. U.S. travelers know, or expect, that a carry-on means one piece of actual luggage, plus a purse, handbag or laptop bag or even a combination of them. Don’t try that in the UK, though. The UK Department of Transportation makes clear that one piece of cabin baggage means just that–one piece. A handbag can be stored within that one piece of baggage. The rules apply to flights departing from or transferring through the UK. So be warned, and watch out for those flying monkeys.
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Find An ATM Worldwide
By Linda Tancs
On safari in South Africa? Hot air ballooning over Stockholm? You’re sure to need some cash from an ATM while you’re there. MasterCard cardholders can find one by checking their Web site’s Global ATM Locator (www.mastercard.com/atmlocator) or use the phone menu for the number to call to find out the nearest ATM location at your destination.
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Bridge Ratings
By Linda Tancs
In light of the tragedy of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, the safety of U.S. bridges is paramount on everyone’s mind these days. So how safe are these bridges? A review of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Web site shows that the biggest loser in bridge safety is Oklahoma, with 27% of its bridges labelled as “structurally deficient.” And what does “structurally deficient” mean, you ask? Well, the Federal Highway Administration, 2006 Conditions and Performance Report defines “structurally deficient” as the result of an analysis of a bridge’s ratings according to its deck, superstructure and substructure, the highest rating being a 9. So what does your state’s report card look like? Ask your legislators.
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The Frontiers of Alaska
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is Alaska. Experience the thunderous calving of some of the world’s greatest glaciers or take a stroll through the quiet and quaint historic gold rush towns. There’s something for everyone. Find out more at www.travelrificradio.com.
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The Passion Play Returns
By Linda Tancs
It’s (almost) that time again. Reservations will begin in 2008 for the 2010 production of The Passion Play in the Bavarian village of Oberammergau, Germany. The play, depicting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, was first mentioned in a text from the 1600s citing the villagers’ promise to God to produce the play every 10 years in exchange for being spared from the Black Death. The 2010 performances, from May to October, will mark the 41st production in modern times. If you snooze you’ll lose out until 2020.
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Do You Have Any Grey Poupon?
By Linda Tancs
Alright, all you mustard worshippers out there. How do you plan on celebrating National Mustard Day on Saturday? Why not hop on over to Mount Horeb, Wisconsin for the annual mustard festival. You can tour the mustard museum (sporting more varieties than you probably ever imagined) and yes, perhaps enjoy a ham sandwich (with mustard, of course) in the presence of her royal highness the Duchess of Mustard. So enjoy the day, and here’s mustard in your eye.
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Air Travel for Pets
By Linda Tancs
Air transport of pets can be a very traumatic experience, particularly if the size of the pet prevents you from traveling together in the cabin. If you must transport your pet by air, you can check the pet incident reports for any given airline at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm. That should help you find the airline with the best track record when it comes to pet handling. If you do encounter a problem, file a report with your airline to initiate the tracking process, much as if you’d lost a suitcase. However, if your pet is irretrievably lost, you are likely to get only the market value for your pet. If you think that the airline acted badly, file a complaint with them and with government authorities. Find out how at the US Humane Society’s Web site at www.hsus.org. You should also look into posting details about your pet on www.pets911.com.
Traveling internationally? Don’t forget to check with your vet on immunization certificates and other procedures that may be required depending on your destination.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 