Time to go to Quebec

Hotel Clarendon, Quebec, Canada

It’s getting to be the perfect time of year to go up to Quebec. I went up just shy of a year ago, and it was amazing. There was a pleasant chill in the air. This year should be even more exciting, as Quebec is celebrating its 400th anniversary.

The place to stay is the Frontenac Hotel, which is a Fairmont property. But, it is priced like a Fairmont, so be ready to invest in your taste of luxury. If you’re on something of a budget (as I was), check out l’Hotel Clarendon. It’s inside the city walls and has large guestrooms that are clean and comfortable.

Something to keep in mind: L’Hotel Clarendon does offer a limited spa service. You can get in-room massages from an absolute professional. But, do note that this is arranged through a partnership with an independent masseuse, so you may have to schedule in advance. Plan ahead; it’s worth the effort.

A city of choice

Outside the University Club in Washington, DC– which way will Laura go?

This is where she says she’s headed.

This is where I think she’ll wind up.

Asia Travel Company Announces Travel to China’s New UNESCO Site

Specialists Provide Access to Remote Area

It’s not on everyone’s must see list, but it will be. Asia Transpacific Journeys is once again on the forefront of travel to Asia, this time trailblazing the way to spectacular, remote Sanqingshan National Park in China, recently designated a natural heritage site of exceptional significance by UNESCO on July 8, 2008.

“This area hosts dozens of peaks and 90 fantastically shaped granite pillars, many of which resemble human or animal silhouettes,” says Marilyn Downing-Staff, CEO of Asia Transpacific Journeys, which has specialized in Asia and Pacific Rim destinations for 21 years. “There is also a 1,600-year-old Taoist temple complex, containing hundreds of priceless cultural relics.”

• Sanqingshan National Park is located in China’s Jiangxi Province, within driving distance of Nanchang city.
• Domestic air routing is through Shanghai, with daily flights to Nanchang.
• Accommodations range from local style, very basic hostels to 3 and 4 star properties in Jindezhen and Nancheng,

“We can customize a private journey for a family or group of friends to this new area. Go now, it won’t be a secret for long,” she adds.

Asia Transpacific Journeys can arrange a visit to Sanqingshan National Park for clients on a custom, private basis to include both the famous, classic sites and those hidden jewels known to the few that seem destined for fame. Custom Journeys feature expert guides, and typically beautiful boutique hotels in authentic style. Land cost per person/per day starts at $350 per person per day for Custom China Travel.

A 19-day sample itinerary could highlight the following:

Day 1-2
En route/Shanghai
Day 3-5
Shanghai/Zhujiajiao
Day 6-8
Sanqingshan National Park
Day 9-11
Chongqing/Yangtze River Cruise
Day 12-13
Ping An
Day 14-15
Guilin/Yangshuo
Day 16
Xian
Day 17-18
Beijing/Great Wall

About Asia Transpacific Journeys
Asia Transpacific Journeys is a Boulder, Colorado based Asia travel company and Asia tour operator specializing in Custom Journeys and Small Group Trips to Asia and the Pacific region since 1987. Outstanding service, long-standing connections in Asia and deeply insightful cultural interpretation make them the Asia travel company of choice for the American Museum of Natural History, The Harvard and Yale alumni associations, the World Wildlife Fund, as well as discerning individuals, their families and friends.

http://www.AsiaTranspacific.com

News in from Pyongyang!

The Arirang Mass Games will be extended this year until October 10^th. As a result, Koryo Tours’s early October excursion guests will have the chance to attend the event. October 10^th is the Party Foundation Day in North Korea, this year will be the 63rd anniversary of the event that created the party that continues to reign in the DPRK to this day. Applications must be filed by September 26^th, only nine days from now.

Click here to learn more about early October tours of North Korea >>

If you are an American and want to check out the Mass Games >>

New Trader Travel Article: Adventure in South Africa

Check out my latest travel article for TraderDaily.com. In “Air, Land and Water– Live Risk in All Elements,” you will live on the edge. Fly in a fighter jet, drive a Formula 1 race car and SCUBA dive with sharks. If you are rich and desperate for a thrill, this is where you’ll find it.

This is an Alexander & Kent Extreme Adventure trip, so it’s far from cheap. But, for those with the means, it should not be missed.

Read the full article on TraderDaily.com >>

Go straight to the horse’s mouth >>

Sheer Insanity from the Leading Hotels of the World

This is fucking nuts. Hotel chain “Leading Hotels of the World is offering a deep discount to celebrate its 80th anniversary– think 1928. For 80 minutes on October 1, guests will be able to log in and book a room with this companies properties for the low price of $19.28 per night. No bullshit. I doubt everyone will get a taste, but at least we all have a shot. I’m gunning for a trip to the Dominican Republic.

Check it out for yourself >>

New Trader Travel Article: On the Edge in New Zealand

Check out my latest article on TraderDaily.com– it covers the New Zealand “Adrenaline Adventure” from Alexander & Kent. This is one crazy experience, with hang gliding, bungie jumping and other stupidity.

Again, this is A&K, so you know it costs an absolute fortune. But, for those with no love of life and plenty of cash to fuel their demises, this gig would be absolutely ideal. I wish I’d been able to go on this one rather than write about it from the comfort of my desk … despite being deathly afraid of heights.

Eh, such is the writer’s poverty …

Check out the full article >>

Kenya: Vacation + Rifle Support

This was a fun excursion to cover for TraderDaily.com. While I wasn’t able to go– and wrote the articles from secondary materials and interviews– I did find the entire concept to be nothing short of fascinating. If you have the inclination (and the means) to go on this trip, I’d definitely suggest doing so. I sure as shit would.

The Kenya experience, which includes a rifle-toting guide to protect you from the wildlife, is one of many programs offered by A&K Extreme Adventures. These guys deliver thrills to the wealthy, quite simply. So, if you have one of those jobs where you have to work your ass off in exchange for fantastic pay, this is where you need to be.

Have the bucks to pull this off? Check out the whole experience at A&K Extreme Adventures, Kenya >>

Read the review in TraderDaily >>

Headed Back to DC

I’m back in our nation’s capital, after only a few months. I went down in early May to interview Adam & Eve founder Phil Harvey—it was part of my ongoing effort to finish a Doctor of Business Administration degree. This time, the trip is purely recreational. I’m going to check out the pandas at the National Zoo, check out a new hotel and grab a few decent dinners. After the recent grind at day job, it’s nice to get away for a few days.

 

The Delta Shuttle has been … well … about as good as it can be. We were late getting out of LaGuardia—big surprise. But, we’re in the air as I type this, and everything seems to be running smoothly. The snack service has been surprisingly good. Pepperidge Farm must have paid a fortune for the privilege. Honestly, even the coffee’s not bad.

 

Maybe it’s just the Delta Shuttle to Boston that sucks. Hey, consider where it lands.

 

I used to go to Boston a few times a year for short getaways like this, but I’ve grown tired of that dump. I learned growing up there that the people are assholes with little on their minds aside from baseball (which bores me to fucking tears). Finally, I’ve decided that that second city won’t be on my itinerary for a while. For me, DC is the new Boston.

 

Last time, I stayed at two Hiltons (great deals on Hotwire.com). We’ve put Hotwire to work again for this trip—the Hotel Helix will be home for two nights. I’ll let you know how it goes. For now, check out my reviews of Hilton Washington and Capital Hilton on TripAdvisor.

 

Read about the Hilton Washington on TripAdvisor>>

 

Read about the Capital Hilton on TripAdvisor>>

 

Rules for Air Travelers

If you don’t fly often, you probably feel a bit uncomfortable in an airport. It’s crowded, has plenty of moving parts and offers many ways for you to screw up. Odds are you’ll ask for help at the wrong place or time, delaying hundreds of people who know what they are doing. So, to keep you from punishing people for your own ignorance or stupidity, I’ve decided to give you a set of idiot-proof rules for behavior. Follow them, and you’ll do just fine.

1. Find someone who knows what he’s doing; imitate him

Look for a person carrying a laptop or wearing a suit. He or she is probably a consultant, attorney or investment banker … and frequent traveler. This person is your new role model. Take off your shoes, fetch your boarding pass, etc. when this person does. You’ll be in good shape.

2. Pack less

If you can’t carry it all yourself, you shouldn’t make us suffer. Your burden is your problem, not mine. If you can’t carry it, you don’t need it. If you need it, you shouldn’t leave home.

3. Shut your kids up

To you, your kids are a blessing. To me, they are Satan’s representatives of assholia on Earth. When your kids cry, you see they are upset. When your kids cry, my wife sees that I’m upset. Do whatever it takes to shut them up.

Now, some people believe that children should learn that they can’t always get what they want. And, if they have to cry, you should let them. Here’s the problem with that approach. I really don’t give a shit about your kids. I have so little at stake in how they are raised that I can’t conceive of caring. So, conduct the life lessons on your own time and at home. Not my problem.

Coming home from Paris a couple of years ago, some woman’s son was crying on the plane. She started to breastfeed him at her seat. Normally, I’m not a big fan of this, but it shut her id’s mouth. I applaud her. Her other kid (probably three or four years old) then started to cry. All I could think was, “Hey, you have another one. Use it.” Thankfully, I said nothing.

This is actually tucked away on a discount European airline's servers

4. Think ahead

 

Don’t wait until you are at security to take your laptop out of your carry-on. If there is a line to get through security– and there usually is– use this time wisely. I do the following while waiting in line: (1) take laptop out of bag, (2) take off my shoes, (3) slide my license or passport and boarding pass under one of my shoes (between the show and the laptop, held by my side) and (4) put any metal (such as my blackberry and cigar cutter) into the small pocket on the front of my backpack. By the time I get to the x-ray machine, all I have to do is toss my stuff on the conveyor belt. It saves plenty of time– for me and those around me.

Do it my way.

5. Use time in line effectively

Long line at Sbarro? Lots of people want to go to Starbucks? Use this to your advantage– and mine. read the fucking menu while you’re in line. There is no excuse for standing around for 20 minutes before getting to the cash register and saying, “I’m not sure …” No fucking excuse. This is an extension of the security concept above, but my audience for this probably can’t see the connection without a little help.

6. Don’t negotiate

Oversold means oversold. No amount of charisma or belligerence will change this fact. Don’t make me wait because you got screwed. When that happens, you turn one problem into several. See, you have the problem that causes you to bitch at the customer service rep. But, you cause a problem for everyone else who is waiting in line behind you. We have to wait, while you negotiate for something that doesn’t exist. So, shut up, and move on.

Now, you may view yourself as something of a freedom fighter. You’re taking on the incompetent airline on behalf of all of us, and we should appreciate your efforts. Right? Bullshit. You look like a fucking retard when you fight with the inept. You don’t inspire respect; you inspire rage. When you beg, negotiate or fight on my time, all you do is direct my anger from the airline to you. I don’t think I’m alone on this one.

The last time I flew, a Delta flight to West Palm Beach was canceled, so all those poor slobs tried to get on my flight to Ft Lauderdale. But, my flight was already oversold. So, to tose morons who waited in line for more than half an hour, I ask, just what the fuck did you hope to accomplish? Did you really think you’d get me bumped? Seriously, don’t be fucking stupid.

7. When you get mad, ou look stupid (a corollary of the above)

In your head, it feels like righteous indignation. On your face, it reads, “Call me Jeffrey Dahmer.” When you yell at a customer service rep, you look like a psycho. You may be right, but you’ll get no sympathy from anybody.

8. Don’t expect service

You’re in an airport, dealing with an airline. I don’t care if you’re super-fly-triple-platinum-guy, you will be treated like shit. And, the more you fly, the greater the odds of your likely shitty treatment. This is the only business in which a company’s best customers routinely get fucked (except porn).

I lived this. I’ve held a lot of travel-heavy jobs, but 2002 stands out for me. From January through June, I racked up more than 90,000 base miles on Northwest. If I hadn’t effectively moved from Boston to Omaha for the balance of the year, it would have been close to 200,000. This is strictly miles flown– no bonuses or any shit like that. I spent a lot of cash on flights (and billed it to my clients!!!), but I ultimately chose which airline to fly. Yet, Northwest did not treat me like a prince. They didn’t even shoot me a smile when all the other scum got scowls. Yeah, money well spent.

Final Thoughts

Look, I could keep going, but you already have plenty to work on. If you can master these eight simple rules, you’ll graduate from disastrous scumbag to mild pain in the ass. Everyone will be happier; trust me.