Travel plan idea blog

Phuket, Thailand: Health tourism destination

Here's an article on health tourism in Thailand, specifically Phuket. I'm not surprised that Americans travel to find affordable healthcare, but it seems to be an issue in Australia as well:

The increase in demand for Health Tourism in Phuket is linked to rising healthcare costs and long waiting lists for surgery in the tourists own country. In Australia for example, some patients are waiting over a year to have hip surgery, a wait that is often both painful and impacts considerably on their quality of life.

An alternative is to immediately book into one of Phuket’s private hospitals, have the surgery, recover beside a five-star resort’s pool sipping a favourite cocktail and then return home a new person, all at a cost far less than private hospital care in Australia.

But it’s not just surgery that is attracting the health tourist. Dental work, health checkups, acupuncture, spa and wellness programs are all experiencing increasing demand.

As some of you may recall, Thailand has been recommended over other possible destinations (like India or the Philippines) by at least one commenter who seems to know his stuff. And remember, if your domestic doctors won't perform a surgery for medical reasons, having the same surgery in another country is a huge risk.

West Kauai Travel Tips

A neat little list of attractions in West Kauai:

Na Pali Coast tours: "boat tours of the rugged coastline of steep cliffs, narrow valleys and empty beaches."

Waimea Canyon: The "Grand Canyon of the Pacific."

Captain Cook Monument: "The statue in Waimea Town commemorates the English explorer who in 1778 "discovered" what would become the Hawaiian Islands."

Russian Fort: "Only remnants of the fort near Waimea still exist."

Waimea: "You won't mistake the place for Lihue or Poipu, but there are enough markets, restaurants and cafes to make for an interesting afternoon."

Menehune Ditch: "The legend is better than the sight itself." Not exactly a ringing endorsement there.

Hanapepe: "One of the best-preserved plantation-era towns in the islands."

Here's more on Hawaii: Waimea named one of America's distinctive attractions, Fleming Beach: America's best beach, Hawaii vacation plan, Oahu vacation rentals and Lanai, NCL's Pride of Hawaii, where to start planning a Hawaiian vacation.

Poseidon Resort: Five-Star Hotel Under the Sea

The Poseidon resort is coming to Fiji in 2008. The idea is quite cool; for 1500 US/night you stay in a 5 star hotel room underwater and transparent acrylic is used to make sure you can see the coral reef. You can also release a bit of food into the water and watch the fish eat. My guess is they'll be pretty fat not long after the resort opens.

Unlike the few underwater habitats around today, this one is accessible to anyone with money; you don't have to be a scuba diver to get there. And since pressure is normal, there's no need to worry about decompression or anything like that. The Jules Undersea Lodge is currently the only undersea hotel (it's off the coast of Key Largo, Florida) and that one is accessible only to qualified divers.

Here's the blurb from the company (US Submarines is behind the Poseidon Resort project):

Scheduled to open in mid-2008 on a magnificent private island in Fiji, Poseidon will, without question, be the world's most unique luxury resort, and certainly the only place where you will be able to pilot your own private submarine in our pristine lagoon.

Don't get too excited about the submarine. If I understand correctly it comes with the $20,000/night room. Maybe there will be one for regular guests to use as well.

Comments saved from the old server

It would be cheaper to rent a glass bottom boat! Do they think we're all from the Rich and Famous?
Posted by: imenuru at August 30, 2006 10:18 PM

Always have a plan, just in case you find a winning lottery ticket on the sidewalk. ("Sir, now that you won $15,000,000, what will you do?" "Well, I won't quit my job down at the plant. I'll visit my sister in Erie PA, and I'll buy a new bowling ball. If there's any money left after that, I'll make a down payment on a used Chevy pickup...")
Posted by: Wrasfish at August 31, 2006 12:09 AM

I started this blog because I spent more time dreaming about vacations than taking them and wanted to write down my ideas. Still true today, although the dreams do motivate me to work harder so I can spend 1500/night on a hoel room underwater. It's hard to even dream about spending 20,000/night though...
Posted by: James Trotta at August 31, 2006 04:00 AM

Maybe this underwater trend will bring the pricing down on the existing 5-star resorts so us middle class land lubbers can afford a decent vacation spot.
Posted by: Nate Dog at September 1, 2006 02:28 AM

The fish may get pretty fat not long after the resort opens but you can be sure that the lagoon with NOT stay pristine for very long after the hotel opens.

People have a way of getting things DIRTY very fast.
Posted by: Alan Beck at September 6, 2006 09:04 AM

Bahamas timeshare trouble

In 2004, a hurricane hit the Bahamas and Tyne Beach Terrace was damaged. Timeshare owners there have a problem because the resort is still closed and "their annual fees went from $275 to over $700".

That's a big jump, but maybe timeshare owners are responsible for some of the rebuilding costs. However, since Tyne Beach Terrace was later condemned now the timeshare owners really want to know what they can do.

Is their only option to cintinue paying the very expensive maintenance fees and use RCI to go elswhere (RCI is another expense)? Or should the timeshare owners take legal action like owners have done at the Crowne Plaza Golf Resort and Casino at the Royal Oasis.

I've asked previously for timeshare advice and received some thoughtful comments. Knowing that the timeshare resort can hike up their maintenance fees like they did in the Bahamas is a big negative though.

Comments saved from the old blog

If you find legal help I'd sure like to know. My mother bought and paid for some building lots there before she died. For some reason she just had to walk away from the investment. My sister and I would like to know whether anything is recoverable. It seems like lots of funny dealings go on in the Bahamas.

Best Wishes,
Will Carlton
Posted by: Will Carlton at August 28, 2006 05:36 AM

I know very well what you mean. My wife & I own several time share properties in the caribbean & it is our past experience that the only thing you can do is walk away, & just rent in the future. I had purchased a contract in St. Maarten for a five year car rental at one time, then a hurricane hit, the agency closed & I was out the money, not only that, but the guy who owned the resort also took off with all the maintance fee, nothing could be done accordinly to the Government. Closer to hme in the Bahamas they got wacked last year, & again up with the maintance fees, its always up,up & up, we just can not afford it any longer & we will just have to walk away from it all & leave the property to them. I can rent for a month what I am paying in maintance fees. You will find that the so called Governments will not or can not do anything to help you & it is very hard to find an honest attorney on the island to do anything for you.
Thats about the whole story in a nut shell, sorry.

Mike

Posted by: Michael Kovach at August 28, 2006 08:53 AM
I know very well what you mean. My wife & I own several time share properties in the caribbean & it is our past experience that the only thing you can do is walk away, & just rent in the future. I had purchased a contract in St. Maarten for a five year car rental at one time, then a hurricane hit, the agency closed & I was out the money, not only that, but the guy who owned the resort also took off with all the maintance fee, nothing could be done accordinly to the Government. Closer to hme in the Bahamas they got wacked last year, & again up with the maintance fees, its always up,up & up, we just can not afford it any longer & we will just have to walk away from it all & leave the property to them. I can rent for a month what I am paying in maintance fees. You will find that the so called Governments will not or can not do anything to help you & it is very hard to find an honest attorney on the island to do anything for you.
Thats about the whole story in a nut shell, sorry.

Mike

Posted by: Michael Kovach at August 28, 2006 08:53 AM
I know very well what you mean. My wife & I own several time share properties in the caribbean & it is our past experience that the only thing you can do is walk away, & just rent in the future. I had purchased a contract in St. Maarten for a five year car rental at one time, then a hurricane hit, the agency closed & I was out the money, not only that, but the guy who owned the resort also took off with all the maintance fee, nothing could be done accordinly to the Government. Closer to hme in the Bahamas they got wacked last year, & again up with the maintance fees, its always up,up & up, we just can not afford it any longer & we will just have to walk away from it all & leave the property to them. I can rent for a month what I am paying in maintance fees. You will find that the so called Governments will not or can not do anything to help you & it is very hard to find an honest attorney on the island to do anything for you.
Thats about the whole story in a nut shell, sorry.

Mike

Posted by: Michael Kovach at August 28, 2006 08:53 AM
I know very well what you mean. My wife & I own several time share properties in the caribbean & it is our past experience that the only thing you can do is walk away, & just rent in the future. I had purchased a contract in St. Maarten for a five year car rental at one time, then a hurricane hit, the agency closed & I was out the money, not only that, but the guy who owned the resort also took off with all the maintance fee, nothing could be done accordinly to the Government. Closer to hme in the Bahamas they got wacked last year, & again up with the maintance fees, its always up,up & up, we just can not afford it any longer & we will just have to walk away from it all & leave the property to them. I can rent for a month what I am paying in maintance fees. You will find that the so called Governments will not or can not do anything to help you & it is very hard to find an honest attorney on the island to do anything for you.
Thats about the whole story in a nut shell, sorry.

Mike

Posted by: Michael Kovach at August 28, 2006 08:56 AM
I never trusted the island governments so Ithink the best thing is to buy in the us and travel thru RCI those other places.My exsperience with doing that has been great.

Posted by: Henry James at August 29, 2006 04:58 AM
I never trusted the island governments so Ithink the best thing is to buy in the us and travel thru RCI those other places.My exsperience with doing that has been great.

Posted by: Henry James at August 29, 2006 04:59 AM
I never trusted the island governments so Ithink the best thing is to buy in the us and travel thru RCI those other places.My exsperience with doing that has been great.

Posted by: Henry James at August 29, 2006 04:59 AM
If you keep paying your yearly maintenance fee for your resort and exchange your week with RCI, how long do you think it's going to be before RCI gets educated and refuses to exchange your week?
When they take your exchange, they are hoping that someone else will trade into your resort or they can rent it on their extra vacation site.
My advise is to cut bait and find another resort.
The timeshare business is pricing themselves out of the vacation market,
Steve Mills
Chico, Ca.

Posted by: Steve Mills at August 29, 2006 07:32 AM
If you keep paying your yearly maintenance fee for your resort and exchange your week with RCI, how long do you think it's going to be before RCI gets educated and refuses to exchange your week?
When they take your exchange, they are hoping that someone else will trade into your resort or they can rent it on their extra vacation site.
My advise is to cut bait and find another resort.
The timeshare business is pricing themselves out of the vacation market,
Steve Mills
Chico, Ca.

Posted by: Steve Mills at August 29, 2006 07:32 AM

Hot but funny Paris vacation experience

I enjoyed reading this Paris vacation experience, especially the part that reminded me of my own experience in China:

We try to go to the public pool, but the rules require that ladies wear bathing caps and men wear briefs, like Speedos. No "boxer" swimsuits allowed. We're not even permitted to look at the pool unless we don such silly garb. It is like being told that we can't step into an art gallery unless we wear a beret.

Other than that, I thought it was interesting that despite the extreme heat air conditioning isn't popular at all in Paris and that McDonalds sells pastry and has wireless internet access.

Gwyneth Paltrow takes surfing lessons on vacation

Gwyneth Paltrow was on vacation in the English coastal resort of Cornwall, where her parents-in-law live. The big news is that she has started learning to surf: "Gwyneth donned a wet suit and braved the chilly waters for an hour-long surf lesson on a chunky beginner's surf board."

Adventure travel tour deals

I've listed a few of the adventure travel tour deals described in this USA Today article. If you're looking for an adventure travel tour, this is a must read.

Morocco: Atlas Panorama (8 days for $490 for U.S. travelers, plus a small local payment)

Sailing the Greek Isles on a 49-foot yacht (8 days for $695 plus a small local payment)

Cycling in Provence, French Alps (7 days for $1,469)

Guided hikes in Yellowstone (4 days for $624)

Snowshoeing in Eastern Europe (5 days for $590 plus a small local payment).

Comment saved from the old server

Hi,

In South Africa, there is some nice adventure tours as well.
- The Sani pass (highest pub south africa)
- Trail horse in Lesotho
- South africa is a nice playground !!

Posted by: Afrique du Sud at August 28, 2006 05:20 PM

Condo Hotels: vacation property that can be rented

Here's an article on condotels, where you can own a vacation property and potentially break even on cash flow:

"If you buy a unit and expect it to pay for itself, it won't. We see these properties producing money to offset expenses like management and homeowner association fees, property taxes and liability coverage."

The article mentions some good areas for Condotels: "Las Vegas, New York, Chicago and San Diego, and emerging markets in cities like Boston and Washington, D.C., and '2½-hour, drive-to locations' such as the Napa Valley, Mexico and sites between N.J. and Maine."

Here's another blog mentioning condotels. One to check out in New York City is the Trump Soho Condotel.

Pet hotels & spas

When masters go on vacation without their pets, many make sure their pets get a treat as well: "Happy Tails works like an all-inclusive resort for the canine Caribbean, Bowens added, where services like petting, playtime, feeding and giving medication is included in the overall cost."

My little Yorkshire Terrier is quite insane (he attacks strangers on site by biting their toes and is often nervous or scared to the point where he's shaking) and I wonder if leaving him in a pet hotel is best for him. I hope that he'll become more sociable being surrounded by other dogs, but I'm told that he just hides while he's there, avoiding the other dogs as much as possible. I guess I have to hope the pet hotels are good for him, because family members are becoming more and more reluctant to watch him while I'm on vacation.

Medical Tourism in the Philippines

The Philippines is competing with other Asian countries for medical tourism dollars. They are creating packages that include golf and other vacation activities in places like Palawan, Boracay and Cebu. They're combining these famous vacation spots with medical treatments in the following packages:

Wellness and health holidays: laboratory tests (urinalysis, fecalysis, CBC with platelet), blood chem, Hepa B screening, thyroid screening, pap smears (for women), prostate check-up, chest X-ray, and ECG.

Beauty holidays: Eyelid surgery, Rhinoplasty, breast surgery (augmentation, reduction, lift), Liposuction, tummy tuck and Botox.

Vision Plus holidays: phacoemulsification with IOL (a kind of cataract extraction surgery), LASIK or laser-assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, routine pterygium removal, eye muscle correction, entropion, ectropion, and ptosis correction.

Smile holidays: Dental implants, crowns, and veneers.

In the past I've blogged about medical tourism (or medical value travel) in India, including the death of Jude Jarvis. One commenter suggested Thailand as a better alternative. Singapore is superior to both, but more expensive.

Tourism marketing: Two nation vacations in Maine and New Brunswick, Zimbabwe

Why not hit Maine in the US and New Brunswick in Canada on a vacation? New Brunswick and Maine tourism officials are working on promoting this "two nation vacation".

Zimbabwe also needs to work on its marketing, and hopes to learn a thing or two from Indonesia. Zimbabwe thinks of itself as "Africa's Paradise" and has "vast tracts of land under wildlife, which is the backbone of the lucrative tourism products." Apparently that means you can hike, canoe, or see elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhinoceros and buffalo on safari.

Grenada's tourism minister is also hard at work:

"We are going to sign another contract with Excel Airways, starting service from November 1 and continuing on a weekly basis. We’ve also signed an agreement with Condor out of Germany, and we are signing contracts with British Airways and Virgin for continued service up to 2008."

So we can get there, but I still don't know what to do in Grenada.

Selling Sandals & Beaches resort and spa vacations

Sandals hotel group includes Sandals/Beaches all-inclusive resorts and Royal Plantation, a “sophisticted hideaway like no other in the world.”

It seems that Sandals takes care of the travel agents who sell these high end all-inclusive vacations. For some it has become big business with “extreme agents” awarded Honda Element motorcars painted over in Sandals/Beaches colors and one “platinum class agent” (platinum class agents do over 250 bookings a year) with a suite named after her.

The compensation:

The Sandals/Beaches travel agent earns more than any other - an average of US$650 in commission per package sold. The average agent makes US$30,000 per year. And that amount is substantially increased for those who have made it their business to sell Sandals exclusively.

250 vacations time $650/booking is good but won't make any new millionaires.

Comments saved from the old server:

"It seems that Sandals takes care of the travel agents who sell these high end all-inclusive vacations." No kidding? It's called paying commissions. All tour companies, cruiselines, insurance companies, even car dealers pay commission. That being said, A good Travel Agent is worth their weight in gold. Notice I said a good Travel Agent. Here is your first tip off: A good Travel Agent will ask you lots of questions about your likes and dislikes before suggesting any travel product. If the agent starts right off trying to sell you a product with a minimum of knowledge about you, then cover your wallet with one hand and back slowly out of the room.
Sandals/Beaches is a good product but they are not for everyone. The experience is different even among the different Sandals/Beaches properties.

I worked as a front line agent for six years and made it into the top ten in a well recognized and respected national Travel Agency. I didn't get there by selling one product exclusively. The clients who were the most loyal to me were usually the ones who had been burned before, either by an incompetent agent or by a web operator. I made my success by building relatonships, not going for the easy buck. By the way, several of my clients fit with Sandals/Beaches perfectly and I did not hesitate to recommend them. Invariably, my clients came back very satisfied.
Posted by: Mike at August 22, 2006 12:05 PM

Thanks for sharing your experience Mike. I understand that travel agencies make their profit through commissions. My point is that Sandals seems to pay higher commissions than many other resorts.

Even with the higher commissions, it seems like a difficult way to become rich.
Posted by: James Trotta at August 23, 2006 04:41 AM

please send me info on becoming a sandals travel agent ...............thank you very much
Irene
Posted by: irene at August 23, 2006 07:58 AM

It's hard to judge using an average number of $650.00. You have to look at what percentage of the booking they pay. The percentage paid will vary widely from operator to operator, and then even more depending on volume, contracts etc. I have seen commission percentages from 10% up to 30% depending on the operator.

From a tour company perspective, it boils down to how fast you want to expand your business. Pay more, faster expansion. But the bottom line is if you offer a lousy product, you will fail in the long run.

Being a Travel Agent is no way to get rich. You get into it because you like people. As a second thought, you have to figure out a way to make money. But no, you won't get rich on commission. The travel industry as a whole operates on very thin margins so very few people become wealthy.
Posted by: Mike at August 23, 2006 11:31 AM

I agree a good travel agent works hard and earns their commission.
But better than finding a good travel agent is becoming one yourself. With the ever expanding and improving internet, anyone can learn how to get the lowest price, find that dream vacation, reserve and pay for their trips. One clue is to pay attention to the travel websites and what they offer, then use the three top approaches: compare, compare, compare. In other words do a little research and analysis and you can save money and get what you want via the internet.
Posted by: ray anderson at August 23, 2006 08:12 PM

Very true, with enough time to burn you can learn many things. You can research for hours and come up with a very good vacation. Nothing wrong with that, some folks like the do it yourself approach.

The value of a good Travel Agent becomes apparent when things really go wrong. It is exceedingly difficult to fix problems by yourself on the ground in the middle of a crisis such as hurricanes, airline strikes, 9/11, tsunami's etc. Several of my most loyal clients, were not my clients when they began their travel. They contacted me when they needed help. They came back to me because I was able to get them home during events such as those I mentioned above. It never hurts to have someone who has personal contacts with people of horsepower among the Hotel/Car Rental/Airlines/Cruise Lines industry.

Don't get me wrong, I applaud your willingness to jump in and go your own way. (I am my own agent also!) just be realistic about your position in the David vs. Goliath relationship with travel providors. The reputable providors are usually very good about handling problems, but even they can be difficult at times and having an infrastructure behind you is valuable.
Posted by: Mike at August 24, 2006 12:29 PM

When should you visit Boracay?

Boracay's rainy season is from June to September, but that may actually be a good time to visit:

The chaotic, stressful and claustrophobic clutter of the summer past is gone and replaced with a serene atmosphere, which opens the opportunity to a string of favorite activities: scouring shops for bargains, dining to your heart’s content without the long wait, enjoying your favorite spa treatment that’s hard to book in the summer...

Of course since I'm not a great fan of rain or chaotic stress and claustrophobia I guess I shouldn't go in the summer or in the rainy season. Maybe the winter months are better?

What to do in Burlington, Vermont

Burlington is more town than city, but it is still awesome town. I spent the summer of 2000 staying at the University of Vermont where I was a camp counselor. My information here could be a little dated, but it should be accurate for the most part.

Check out Church Street first and foremost. You'll find tons of restaurants and bars, from simple to more trendy. Sweet Tomatoes (Church Street) is a decent and inexpensive Italian place if you like that. If you're interested in a drink at a trendy bar try "Wine Works" near Church Street (may be called Wine bar now...not sure).

If you like karaoke in a dive bar check out JPs Pub. The waterfront is the place to be for sunsets. They have a bike path that you can walk or bike along shore. If you like hiking check out the "Stowe Pinnacle" about 45 min away from Burlington. About a 2 mile hike with a huge payoff.

You can't go wrong with the nightlife in Burlington. Decent bars = Wine works, Halversons, Red Square. The Magic Hat Brewery has good beer and a very generous tasting room. Leunig's has great food, on the corner of College and Church. RiRas is a decent Irish pub with good bar food.

If instead of the nightlife you like getting up early and eating a good breakfast try "Sneakers" in Winooski, the next town over from Burlington. It's near St. Michael's College and is a small place w/great food. I recommend getting there early (certainly before 8:30AM on weekends).

Other tourist stuff includes Shelburne Farms, Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, and the Sunset cruise/day cruise on Lake Champlain (I think it's called the Spirit of Ethan Allen). Also on Lake Champlain you can do kayaking (you need to arrange this in advance, probably by looking in the phonebook or online), or cliff jumping (some of the cliffs are high and scary so while I've done it, I certainly don't recommend it).

A short drive away is the Ben & Jerry's factory. Tours are pretty fun and typically end in eating some of the best ice cream I know of.

Thinking about Malaysia: Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur

This article sounds like an ad for a new resort but at least it offers some good information on Langkawi. Next time I go to Malaysia it will be to Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. Last time I went to Penang which was enjoyable but there must be something better.

I have to wonder if a resort on Langkawi would be much different than staying in the Golden Sands in Penang. Of course that was the best part of the trip. The only thing I didn't like about Penang were the taxis making me feel like a tourist getting ripped off (even if they were still quite cheap).

I've been to Kuala Lumpur once, in 2004, one of this blog's early entries. Then later, someone sent me this list of ten things to do in KL. I need to go back and do most of them.

Cruise news: medical evacuation, New orleans, passports, South America

One cruise passenger needed a medical evacuation recently. I wonder if the Coast Guard covers the cost or if this guy will be in the poor house (unless he had the right insurance). How many cruisers have travel insurance that covers them for medical evacuation though?

If you are going on a cruise remember not only your travel insurance, but also your passport:

��Consumers should proceed as if the new passport regulations are going into effect as scheduled,� said a Carnival Cruise Line spokesman. ��While there is discussion of additional delay, as of this time, the first implementation phase for land and sea travel is still set for Dec. 31.�

Translation: Get your passport now. If you don�t have a passport or you need to replace an expired one, the U.S. State Department Web site (travel.state.gov) provides information. Or call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.

New Orleans says it will be all the way back int erms of tourism when two carnival cruise ships begin using the port regularly. If you're leaving from Naples, Florida instead, you should read this article on cruises and their ports of call in South America.

Changdeok Palace and Seoul Wang Donkaseu

I recently met a friend of mine at Anguk subway station in Seoul. We went to Changdeok Palace (Changdeokgung) via exit 3. This palace is only for people on tours so you ahve to arrive at the right time (when an English tour is leaving). We didn't but we figured we'd try a Korean tour since we both speak a little.

Well our Korean wasn't good enough to understand the tour guide's speeches about the history of the palace and whatnot, but we saw the same stuff everyone else did and there are a few signs with English explanations so we had a fine time. The buildings a re a ways apart so we had to do some walking.

If you do care about understanding the tour guide, Lonely Planet Seoul says that Tuesday through Sunday English tours start at 11:30, 1:00, and 3:30.

Admission was cheap at 3,000 Won or about 3 dollars. I did notice some special tours that were 15,000 - I think they might cover more of the palace grounds, but even our cheap tour was about 90 minutes which seemed long enough to us.

After that, we went to the most famous pork cutlet (donkaseu) place in Seoul. It has been on every TV station in Korea (or so it seems) and is famous for having huge, delicious pork cutlets.

Well they were big. I didn't measure them, but I believe that they were the promised 21 cm. I can't say that the taste was any better than usual donkaseu however.

Finding this place will be a real challenge if you don't speak Korean. You'll probably need a Korean friend to help you out. I'm not going to go too crazy trying to teach you how to get there since it wasn't all that great anyway.

If you do speak Korean there's one near Hyehwa station (02-766-9370) and another one somewhere I've never heard of (Bang E Jum or - this will look funny if you don't have a Korean font installed on your computer - 방이점). That one is 02-420-9988.

Back at HyeHwa station, we decided to get something to drink since this is a rather busy area. There are tons of bars and coffee shops mixed in with the restaurants, shops, karaoke rooms, etc. My friend was rather upset that his Corona didn't come with either lime or lemon (the place didn't have either). I was happy that they gave me my green tea for free (since it wasn't on the menu).

All in all, it was a fun day. I definitely recommend Changdeok Palace. Walking around Hyehwa is cool. The restaurant is truly Korean culture (very popular with the locals) but size isn't everything and the pork cutlets just weren't that great.

Women only tours: men are too goal oriented and efficient

Women only tours are becoming increasingly popular. I guess we men behave so badly that single women can't endure our company. Plus we just have different travel desires:

"Men are more goal-oriented," Wade said. "Women appreciate every little thing about the experience. They are more relaxed."

For example, they both may want to hike to the top of the mountain, but men tend to want to reach the peak efficiently while many women don't really care how long it takes, preferring to meander through villages and markets on the way.

Well I don't know if this is a good example or not, but when I went hiking in China with my Korean hiking club (the only time I've traveled with a big tour-like group) we were climbing Mt. Taishan and the idea was to see the sunset from the top of the mountain which was supposed to be particularly beautiful.

But some members of the group (women as luck would have it) were just too slow. We had to stop frequently to let the stragglers catch up. The sun set while we were on the mountain somewhere and we had to finish hiking in the dark. It got cold and it was dangerous. And we totally missed the sunset.

Since I try to be entertaining (rather than grumpy) company, I rarely tell that story about missing the sunrise and sunset thanks to joining a slow hiking group. My special massage in China story (the night before the hike) always gets a laugh though.

Anyway, what do you think? Are men and women really so different on vacation?

Cruising around Australia and New Zealand

Here's a great overview of cruises available around Australia and New Zealand. The cruise lines covered are Princess Cruises, Celebrity, Holland America, Cunard, Regent and Silversea. The article makes me want to reserve a cabin now:

Upcoming cruises to Australia, New Zealand and the Polynesian islands will feature a combination of cosmopolitan cities, jungles and snow-capped mountains to fjords, white-sand beaches and coral reefs.

It's almost hard to believe that such diversity can be found in a single vacation but travelers booked on any one of six major cruise lines heading to the South Pacific over the next few years are in for a real treat.

A little hardship and a little humor

People flying from England are now permitted one small carryon. Some flights are still being cancelled as well.

Here's a slightly humorous article by a teacher who has unusual travel interests that leave him unable to make normal conversation:

I love to travel, but my interests are not the typical tourist's. I've taught English in China and Finland. I flew into Russia on a Friday evening and the next morning ran the Moscow Marathon. I worked as a volunteer at the Atlanta Summer Olympics and lived with families in South Africa. I took Swedish dancing lessons in Stockholm. These experiences I can remember. But they aren't what friends want to hear about.

Sounds good to me. Maybe better than the Antarctica vacation experience described in the article.

Hawaii vacation rentals, Lanai, Scuba, traveling with kids

Hawaiian vacation rentals can be better than hotels, but make sure you get a legal one:

On Oahu, only 1,000 homeowners have a certificate that allows them to rent rooms for less than 30 days. However, there are more than 2,000 online advertisements for the rentals on the island, according to a 2005 state study.

Here's an article about Lanai, famous for Four Season's resorts and 2 famous golf courses including Jack Nicklaus-designed Challenge at Manele Bay golf course. Lanai, Hawaii is said to be laid-back, luxurious, and possible to do on a budget.

Hawaii is where Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire recently vacationed or so I read somewhere. They also say it's a good place for scuba diving, not to mention just fine for traveling with kids.

If you missed them, here are a few previous entries you may be interested in:

Hawaiian Holiday vacation plan
Fleming Beach, the best beach in America
NCL's Pride of Hawaii

New security measures in the US and UK for airlines

Here's an article about what you need to know to fly in light of new US restrictions aimed at increasing airline security. The biggest news is that no liguids or gels of any kind are permitted (with milk for babies or insulin possible exceptions). In England security is even tighter.

Of course, these rules are quite new and enforcement may vary at different airports. Airlines are trying to hire more baggage handlers to cope with the increased number af bags being checked. Air travel seems to be holding steady. Passengers are unafraid it seems.

This interesting article quotes a number of travelers and gets their thoughts on what the new travel restrictions mean to them. A number of people mentioned bottled water and reading materials as the things they would miss most.

Kalari Kovilakom: Palace for Ayurveda in Kerala, India

The palace of Ayurveda is in the Palakkad district, near the Western Ghats (mountains bordering Tamil Nadu), in the state of Kerala.

Here's a long article from the New York Times about how Kalari Kovilakom, the Palace of Ayurveda (in a 150-year-old palace) will help you "purify and balance your whacked-out Western body and soul."

What is it?

Kalari Kovilakom is not exactly a hotel, not exactly a hospital and not exactly a spa, but a weird hybrid with a Mother Superior aura (in accordance with strict ayurvedic principles the establishment requires a minimum 14-day stay).

Anyway, you have to read the article. The author describes her Ayurvedic doctor, her yoga instructor, Kerala in general, Kumarakom Lake Resort (where sirodhara led to panic), and Vijnana Kala Vedi Cultural Center.

Terrorrists arrested and fractional ownerships in Martha's Vineyard

Most of you have heard the big news, foiled bomb attacks and cancelled flights. There's not much I can say about that so the blog goes on.

Fractional ownerships sound like expensive timeshares. Very expensive with monthly fees similar to the annual fees you'd pay for a timeshare:

According to Director of Sales and Residence Club Manager Joanne Sardini, prices range from $90,000 to $290,000 depending upon size and desirability of the unit, as well as which fraction of the year is purchased. There are only 12 owners per unit, and owners buy at least four weeks of usage per year. Unbooked time can be added on a space-available basis. Owners also pay monthly fees of $290 for a one-bedroom residence and $450 for a two-bedroom residence. Fees cover real estate taxes, use of an automobile during occupancy, telephone, utilities, staff, and transportation to and from the ferry and airport.

Finally, I found a book review on a book I'd never heard of before (but now have to buy). Lonely Planet's ecotourism book, Code Green: Experiences of A Lifetime has some very unique travel ideas:

"Code Green" experiences range from visiting the mountain gorillas of Rwanda (book through Discovery Initiatives, which works with gorilla conservation groups); to studying yoga at an ashram in India; to an Aboriginal-led tour of Uluru Rock in Australia through Anangu Tours; to exploring Romania's Danube Delta, one of the last wildlife havens in Europe; to a stay in the Kapawi Ecolodge with the indigenous Achuar people in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Cruise news, home exchanges, and traveling oil money

I've found a few interesting travel articles in the news recently.

The largest cruise ship in the world will soon be joined by an equal. This article talk about the progress on the next huge cruise ship. Speaking of cruises, here's a $300.00 reason not to be late for yours.

Here's a happy story about a successful home exchange, with a recommended site for seniors. I'm going to try that one day.

Here's a story about where all the money you spend on gas goes. Apparently it goes to France, which has lost some American tourist dollars but found some from the Middle East.

Black Rubber Shoes, Zibe, Su Norebang in Hongdae

We met some friends in Hongdae for my friend's last night in Korea. Our little group consisted of my wife and I, my friend from New York celebrating his last night in Korea, and 4 female friends.

First we went to Black Rubber Shoes or Gum Jung Go Moo Shin in Korean. This is an old-fashioned place that's always crowded. Some of us were drinking soju and some of were drinking dong dong ju, Korean rice wine. Two of our friends left, leaving us with 5 people.

Then we went to Zibe, a fun bar. Here your group will get a private little area (made private by see-through curtains) where you basically sit or lie or whatever on mattresses. It's pretty comfy. They also have a very shallow pool so you can drink while letting your feet soak in the water.

After that a couple more people left; it was just me, my friend from New York, and a young woman. We went to a nightclub. There was a line to get in, but it moved quickly. They didn't seem too worried about waiting for people to leave before letting more people in.

Sadly I was the only one with money left, so I paid the 15,000 won cover for all three of us. That 15,000 gets you a drink, but reaching the bar isn't easy. My Korean friend pushed and shoved her way to the bar so we could get our drinks. In New York there would have been a fight.

They ditched me to go dance so I spent the next couple hours wandering around the nightclub, observing, trying not to look like the old, married guy I am.

The club kept getting more and more crowded. The later it got, the more men shuffled in. Because it was quite hot and crowded, it got to the point where no matter where I went I'd be pressed up against sweaty guys.

There was one room, where I could stand without getting touched by sweaty men, but that was the room with hoses hanging down from ceiling. It was very very wet in that room.

At 3:00 AM I tried looking for my friend to let him know I was leaving. The club was way too crowded to find anyone. Walking around the club was such slow going that people behind you tried to help out by pushing you in the back. Walking became a shoving match between all the sweaty men.

I took a taxi home without ever letting my friend know I was leaving. I felt a little bad about ditching him, but didn't really have much choice. And he did ditch me first. I quickly wrote a speech for work the following day and got to bed around 6:00 AM.

My friend found his way back to my house around 11:00 AM Saturday morning and started packing. We took him to the airport bus stop around 1:00 and said good bye. Then it was time for me to go to work - our graduate school's opening ceremony was at 2:00 PM. I had to stifle a few yawns as I sat through the other speeches, but my own speech seemed to go over well enough.

All in all we had an excellent time with a nice variety of museums, singing rooms, bars, a palace, a temple, a mall, some great food, some acupuncture, and the DMZ.

Rude passengers looking for unfinished puzzles

For those of you who don't read Peter King, here is his Aggravating/Enjoyable Travel Note of the Week:

Aboard a Continental flight from Jacksonville to Houston last Wednesday, the 19ish woman in 8E sat down, leafed through her in-flight magazine and rang her flight-attendant call button as travelers filled the aisle getting to their seats.

When a male flight attendant worked his way through the crowded aisle and got to the woman, she held up the mag and said, "I need another in-flight magazine.''

"OK,'' the polite guy said. "What is the problem?''

"The puzzles are already done in this one,'' she said. "I want one with the puzzles blank.''

The flight attendant, I'm sure, wanted to say something like, "Are you out of your cotton-pickin' mind to bother me with something so pathetically insignificant?'' Instead, with fliers squeezing around him to get to their seats, he said, "Have you tried the magazine in the next seat pocket?''

"No,'' she said, still holding the magazine out to the guy, like it had cooties and she wanted to get rid of it.

So he reached into the next seat pocket, leafed through it, saw the puzzles hadn't been done and handed it to the woman.

AND SHE DIDN'T SAY THANK YOU!

I'm not sure, but I believe that woman is a dean's list student at Clueless University, majoring in Inconsideratology.

In America we expect people to be somewhat independent (so they would check the seat next to them for example) but interestingly, I don't think a flight attendant on Korean Air or JAL would be too surprised at getting asked for a new magazine. I have no idea what they'd say back in the galley or wherever they go, but I don't think the request would seem as unusual as it did to Peter King and the Continental flight attendant.

Where are all the happy travel writers?

It's tough to find happy vacation stories these days. Nobody writes about fun anymore? Anyway here's one vacation that involves injured kids and a broken down car.

We do have some good news for seniors who can book interesting vacation packages through a nonprofit called Elderhostel. For those under 55, REI is recommended. They don't seem particularly inexpensive though.

Speaking of happy endings, I suppose it's time to write about my friend's last night in Korea.

Cruise industry sees slower growth

Safety concerns seem to be slowing growth for the cruise industry: "Overall, the industry's sales have slowed and discounts are up this year, particularly for Caribbean vacations, which make up half of all cruises." This article reminds us that 2006 has been especially bad for Princess Cruises. Recently Princess has battled a fire (in which someone died) and tipping ships.

One thing I find hard to understand about the tipping ships is that "Princess said the sudden tilt of the Crown Princess was not due to a flaw in the ship." Well was it a flaw in the ocean? A really strong wind? Human error? Maybe I missed where Princess said what really did cause the tip, but until I hear a reasonable explanation, I'll be wondering how they know it's not a flaw in the ship.

The good news if you're not deterred is that cruise lines are offering discounts in order to fill their ships.

The bad and the ugly in travel

Here's another article on vacationers stuck in a war zone. Talk about a scary vacation.

Another disturbing thing I read is the trend for married men in Qatar to find temporary wives to vacation with (leaving their real wives at home). Even after reading the article I don't quite see how this works.

Bad news that almost seems good compared to the other stuff: Americans aren't taking any vacation, or at least not their fair share. Toward the end of that article you'll find a few tips on how make sure your work / career doesn't suffer too much while you're on vacation.

Shabu Shabu, Acupuncture, Dak Galbi, Noribang

My 9th day playing tour guide in Korea was Thursday July 27th and I wanted to do something that wasn't very touristy. So we went for acupuncture. How many tourists get stuck with needles and then get their bones cracked (chiropractics followed the acupuncture) on vacation? And that's not to mention the machine-powered suction cups that bruise your back as they "massage" you and the foul tasting herbal drink you get when you're finished.

So the acupuncture was interesting. I was warned not to have sex everyday because it was bad for my left kidney. I guess I'll have to get that checked out...

After the acupuncturist, we went to my friend's house where his three sons beat on my friend. Again, how many tourists get punched in the privates and beaten on the head while vacationing?

Meals that day were excellent. For lunch we had Shabu Shabu, thinly sliced beef that you boil in a spicy stew. That's followed by noodles which you boil in the stew, and that's followed by rice cooked in the stew bowl (my favorite kind of rice).

For dinner we had Dak Galbi or chicken ribs. This is also a little spicy and it's cooked on the table right in front of you. Dak Galbi followed by rice cooked in the same pan as the chicken.

Then we went to a bar where we had a few drinks. Then we went to a Noribang, or karaoke room where three of us sang our hearts out for 3 hours. That was my longest noribang experience ever and I didn't have much voice left when we were done.

Seodaemun Prison & Shinchon

Wednesday, July 26 was my friend's 8th day in Korea. We met some friends of mine and went to Seodaemun Prison (via exit 3 from Chungmuro on line 3). Admission was cheap, I think 1,500 won or so (about 1.50). Seodaemun Prison was where Japanese forces imprisoned and tortured Korean freedom fighters during the Japanese occupation of Korea.

Inside we saw a group of very young school kids, but most parents I know would consider the prison / museum inappropriate for their kids. I don't say this because of the flogs or torture cells (solitary confinement cells so small that moving or stretching was impossible - the sign said that 2 or more days in such a cell would lead to paralysis).

What makes the prison inappropriate for kids are the depictions of torture. These depictions included bloody wax figures but the most disturbing part had to be the accompanying soundtrack, especially with the sexual torture exhibit.

Seodaemun Prison is a learning experience for adults, although foreigners will be disappointed that most descriptions are in Korean. It's certainly best to go with someone who can translate for those who don't read Korean very well.

Outside the prison, you can see where prisoners were executed. There's a tree right in front of this place with a large section of bark completely worn off. Apparently this is where condemned prisoners leaned, grabbed, or whatever before being executed. That bare spot on the tree was more moving than the wax figures and soundtracks inside the prison.

It was hard to make conversation after that, but we tried to lighten the mood by going to a coffee shop and doing some shopping. We went to Namdaemun (it's amazing how Namdaemun is full of old people during the day - I never noticed that before) and then Myeong Dong.

Later that night we went to Shinchon, an area near Ewha Women's University. This a great place for shopping (especially for women's clothes), bars, restaurants, and music (Shynara music is probably the biggest music store in Seoul). We walked around, had some Korean bacon (sam gyup sal) bought some Korean and Japanese music, and then went home.

AIESEC: students traveling and learning about cultures

I liked this story of a recent college graduate going to Riga, Latvia after getting a job through AIESEC. This traveler had an opportunity to motivate high school students, learn about another culture, and do my favorite kind of traveling (the kind where you live with the locals for a while).

DMZ, Insadong, Chungyechun, City Hall, drunkeness, Seoul taxis

Tuesday, July 25th was my friends 7th day in Korea. We woke up real early and walked from my house to the USO where we had to be at 7:00 AM. On the way we saw a well-dressed man sprawled out on the sidewalk. Later that night we'd see a couple of more well dressed men made to look stupid because of alcohol. We checked in for the DMZ tour, had a quick breakfast (the USO has American style food and is cheap) and got on the bus.

The DMZ is unique. Soldiers stopped our bus to check our IDs a couple of times and we had to drive through an obstacle course (which I guess prevents any vehicle from getting into the DMZ quickly). We listened to a US Army infantry specialist's short lecture on DMZ history. Not surprisingly it seemed designed to convince people that the UN / US / ROK forces behaved honorably while the North Korean soldiers were murderers. One wonders what sort of presentations you hear on the other side of the 38th parallel.

Then we went to the JSA where we took pictures of the North Korean side and waited our turn to enter a UN building that straddled the 38th parallel. In there we were actually able to go north of the 38th parallel. During this experience you have to be impressed by the ROK soldiers in their modified Taekwando ready positions and mirrored sunglasses. These guys look bad.

Luckily, we were able to compare them up close and personal with some North Korean soldiers who marched up to the building we were in, tapped windows with their radios, looked inside, and took up position right outside the windows. I understand that they don't always come out and put on a show, so I guess we got lucky. Although it was a little unsettling looking face to face at a North Korean soldier through a window while standing on the North Korean side of the 38th parallel.

I think lunch was next. You eat in a big cafeteria-looking place with OK food. Bulgogi for 10,000 or bibimbap for 5,000. The food was fine but nothing special.

Then we drove around the DMZ to an observation point where you can spend 500 won (50 cents or so) to look into some binoculars and see North Korea. This was pretty uninteresting for most since you can't see much besides trees even with the binoculars. Someone said he saw a truck driving off in the distance...

Then came another gift shop. A friend of mine bought North Korean liquor. Another friend bought a couple of DMZ T-shirts. We all thanked the US army personnel for showing us around in the heat and doing a fine job keeping us entertained.

Then we went to infiltration tunnel #3, built (of course) by the North Koreans. Again you wonder what they say on the other side, probably something about proof the tunnel was dug by the South Koreans... If you're tall you have to walk hunched over which is uncomfortable. Some people started feeling claustrophobic and urging the tour guide to lead us out if the tunnel. Getting out of the tunnel involves walk up a fairly steep incline for a few minutes and you'll probably be a bit sweaty when you get out into the gift shop. I bought myself a nice cold drink at that point.

Then we got on the bus and went back to the USO in Seoul. A few hours later we were in Insadong, checking out some artwork and waiting to meet a friend. We then walked through Chungyechun, a little stream through the middle of Seoul. It's a nice relaxing stroll and not a bad place for people watching. The mosaic on the side is a fairly interesting depiction of a royal procession with explanations about who is positioned where in the procession.

Then we went to the area around City Hall where there's a big grass lawn. People like to hang out here on summer nights so we strolled around a bit before going to a bar. Here we were entertained by a guy who was drunk enough to puke on the ground in front of his seat and then fall into the puke. We should have left, but watching his friends try to get him a cab was too funny. They would hide him, flag down a cab, open the door, and then try to drag their friend in before the driver could get away. Since the drunk guy didn't want to be dragged, they were way too slow and the cabbies kept getting away.

Later we tried to get a cab home, but we must have watched 10 or 20 cabs totally ignore us as we tried to flag one down (and we were perfectly sober). It was depressing and it started to rain so we went back to the bar and had another drink. Then we got some women to hail us the cab we needed. That was no problem except that one woman tried to get me to sprint across a 10-lane highway with her. A double suicide with someone I've only met once isn't how I want to go, and luckily I was able to overpower her and drag us both back to safety on the side of the road.

That's when I noticed another drunk guy hugging a tree, sleeping. It's not everyday you see a guy in a suit who fell asleep while hugging a tree. Part of me wanted to stay out and look for more funny looking drunk people, but it was around 2:00 AM and we had been awake since 5:30 AM so I went home and went to bed.

Cruising the Chicago River

Here's an interesting article from someone who took a cruise to see some of Chicago's architecture from the river:

There is no better way to admire the city's buildings than from the water. If you are boating on the lake, the skyline takes your breath away. If you are moving slowly on the river, as we were, it is pleasurable to pass notable landmarks like the Wrigley Building.

Goa, India: the Spain of the east (in three years)

Goa is popular with tourists even during the monsoon season according to this article. Since it's not the 4-hour traffic jams bringing in tourists, what is it?

THE MONSOON IN GOA is full of surprises. While the sun is blaz-ing, it suddenly starts pouring. The wind blasts give the coconut trees a permanent 60-degree slouch. The beaches are reduced to a narrow strip and the waves have a deafening tsunami-like ferocity. This seaside state�s wild natural beauty is at its most spectacular in the rain. And now the world has discovered it. So, despite the fact that at this time of the year there�s no access to the beach, no shacks to park in and have a beer, no shopping and just a few restaurants open, touristsareflockingto Goatoenjoythe wet season.

By the way, if you're easily irritated let me warn you that the whole article is marred by things like "touristsareflockingto Goatoenjoythe".