Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!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.
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Say ‘Please’
By Linda Tancs
Can you say “please” in 80 or more languages? Learn how by subscribing to TravLang’s Word of the Day program. Go to www.travlang.com/wordofday.
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The Kingdom of Nepal
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is Nepal. This tiny kingdom boasts plenty of attractions in the valley for those who aren’t interested in scaling the world’s tallest mountain. Tune in at www.travelrificradio.com.
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Las Vegas, Dubai Style
By Linda Tancs
Is there room in the world for another Strip (without the gambling)? Dubai’s Bawadi is developing a $100 billion strip of themed resorts (think Epcot), including the world’s largest hotel. The resorts characterizing the Americas will be the Latino Resort representing Latino culture, America Hotel and Resort (celebrating North American and South American cultures) and Wild Wild West (think John Wayne). Other resorts will represent Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. A Universal site will provide general entertainment. Sounds more like a World’s Fair than a Vegas-like showplace. Then again, maybe that’s the point.
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Improved Airline Web Sites Seek to Enhance Customer Service
By Linda Tancs
In a bid no doubt to improve the customer service experience, several airlines have enhanced their Web sites to offer conveniences such as improved mileage reward retrieval and flight messaging services. For instance, Delta Airlines (www.delta.com) offers award ticket FAQs, award travel tips and updated seat availability. Also, American Airlines (www.aa.com) offers passengers the ability to download flight information to Palm organizers. And not to be outdone, Southwest Airlines (www.southwest.com) offers wireless check-in via web-enabled mobile devices. Southwest’s Travel Tools aren’t too bad, either. Check out their interactive route map. Will all these “virtual” improvements translate into higher airline satisfaction ratings? Probably not, so long as lines are long, baggage loss is up, fuel costs are high, and meals are reduced. Perhaps seating space is more important than cyberspace.
