Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel writing
Rail Group Investigates Value for Money
By Linda Tancs
Anyone who has traveled by train in Britain (whether short- or long-haul) has experienced those heart-stopping fares. I’ve often wondered why rail travel is so darned expensive–or is it just my imagination, coupled perhaps with a bad exchange rate? Apparently, my thoughts are well justified. The watchdog group Passenger Focus has released a report this month analyzing such variables as local travel, long-distance travel, comparative rates in other countries and value for money perceptions. Among the many findings: Londoners have a low perception of value for money, soft factors such as cleanliness of trains and well-lit stations inform overall perceptions as well as pricing, and continental comparisons illustrate a general comity among frequency of service although journey speed is more highly rated in continental Europe. Generally speaking, Britain fares (no pun intended) better with pricing for advance bookings than with restricted or unrestricted day returns. Want to learn more? You can download the 38-page report.
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Pancake Fests Mark Shrove Tuesday
By Linda Tancs
The day before Ash Wednesday is popularly known as Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday is a more ancient term, referring to the confession of sins to be shriven, or absolved, from them. In England, Shrove Tuesday is celebrated as Pancake Day–a moniker having its origin in the days when sinfully rich supplies of fat, butter and eggs were used up in preparation for the fast and abstinence of Lent. Over time, this tradition has evolved to the running of pancake races, where women sporting aprons and wielding frying pans make a mad dash for the finish line while flipping those flapjacks in the air. The most popular race takes place in the U.K. in Olney, Buckinghamshire. More than 500 years old, the 400-yard competition takes place at 11:55 a.m. between the market square and the church. Best time? 63 seconds in 1967.
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Winter Festivals
By Linda Tancs
Winter festivals are usually viewed as a celebration of the season and all its wintry accoutrements. But sometimes these events are more about ushering in spring–or just celebrating life. Tune in for a worldwide sampling at Travelrific® Radio.
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The Mystique of Mustique
By Linda Tancs
Icelandair’s former CEO recently died at his home in Mustique. This got me thinking about the private island paradise, home of the rich and famous from rock to royalty. Owned and operated by The Mustique Company, this 1400-acre island in the southern Caribbean offers its villa occupants and residents a dreamy getaway in a plush environment in which development has been strictly controlled. Check out the photos, especially the villas. Want your own Bali Hai? It’s all yours, if the price is right.
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An Airline with Heart
By Linda Tancs
Kudos to JetBlue. In the wake of these economic woes (surely affecting their business as well), the airline is pledging to refund certain eligible fares for those suffering an involuntary loss of employment. Find out more here.
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Germany’s Switzerland
By Linda Tancs
A new season of the reality show The Amazing Race began on Sunday. First stop: Switzerland. The verdant hills and valleys, quaint churches and exquisite chalets had me channeling Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music. Then I got to wondering–where would the Swiss need to go to get away from it all when “all” is so idyllic and charming? The answer might be Germany’s northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In the heart of this province hugging the Baltic coast lies a slice of unspoiled countryside that was once dubbed Mecklenburg’s Switzerland by Georg I in the 1800s. The name apparently caught on, as has Swiss tourism to the area–particularly its Baltic coast–thanks to the City Night Line train to Rügen. All aboard!
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A Family-Friendly Day
By Linda Tancs
Public holidays generally bring families together–at least in theory. So it may seem strange to have a public holiday called Family Day. Yet in certain Canadian provinces, today marks that celebration. On the third Monday of February, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario observe Family Day. Of course, the day would lack meaning if you didn’t spend it like a family. So find some family-fun things to do. How about spending time at the Toronto Zoo or the ice rinks? According to the Calgary Herald, Alberta is celebrating its twentieth anniversary of the statutory holiday. Surely, that’s cause for celebration. Only two years’ strong in Saskatchawan, the province nonetheless has the most public holidays in the country. Hopefully that translates into lots of family time.
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The Best Job Ever
By Linda Tancs
Wanted: island caretaker.
Duties: swim, snorkel and sail; feed fish; collect mail. 12 hours per month.
Salary: AUD $150,000 for six months
Qualifications: none
Sound good? Apparently, 9000 applicants (and counting) thought so. Between now and 22 February, those interested can apply for the position of caretaker on Hamilton Island in Australia, sponsored by Tourism Queensland. Tourism officials will pare down the list in May, and the winner will start on 1 July.
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UK Eyes Travelers
By Linda Tancs
Corresponding to yesterday’s report about the ESTA registration process for travelers to the US, the Sunday Times reported that the UK will keep its own database concerning the travel habits of its citizens. Amidst a host of privacy concerns, the Home Office deems the action necessary in its continuing fight against terrorism, illegal immigration and other crimes. In an unrelated move, the country’s environment czar has proposed limits on Brit travel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pity the wanderer among you!
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Entry Requirements to U.S. are Revised
By Linda Tancs
Of course, not all travelers to the U.S. need visas. Currently, 35 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. What is new, however, is that nationals of these countries must now apply for authorization to enter the U.S. at least 72 hours before flight departure. Prior to this year, the authorization program (known as ESTA) was voluntary. The application for authorization can be found here.
Visitors should also note that certain passport requirements are in effect as well. For instance, passports issued on or after October 26, 2006 should be e-passports, characterized by a circular symbol on the bottom of the front cover, or else you’ll require a visa. If you’re lacking an e-passport, then, in some cases, you can still travel without a visa if your passport was issued prior to October 26, 2005 and contains a machine-readable zone or a digital photo. A machine-readable passport has two lines of text as letters, numbers and the(<<<) symbol at the bottom of the personal information page, along with your picture. Check your passport today!
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 