Budget Travel: Some Tour Program Prices Exorbitant
Posted by admin in General on 03 13th, 2011With a cover of cardboard stiffness, the 8 1/2-by-11-inch booklet is issued by the Columbia University Alumni Association, and was sent to my wife because she is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Social Work. What a mistake to include a former social worker in a list of those who would spend that amount of money on a self-indulgent, 21-day tour! It amounts to some $3,283 per person per day for the worst kind of conspicuous consumption, wallowing in luxury and privilege amid the poverty-stricken people of Africa.
Though this is one of the most costly of the tours designed for ultra-wealthy Americans, it is no rarity. Throughout the world of alumni and museum-associated travel are numerous other programs making use of private jets, accommodating passengers in large villas or suites, supplying them with butler-like attentions, serving them gourmet meals and maintaining open bars of premium liquors throughout the day. I have marveled at the absurd costs of numerous alumni and museum tours, which always assume that college-educated Americans should see the world only in cushioned comfort, be waited upon around the clock, sleep on silk sheets and be totally isolated from the life of average residents of the countries they visit. The 21-day Columbia University tour (“Africa by Private Jet”) for $68,950 per person is only a slightly exaggerated version of a much-too-typical industry product of ultra-deluxe, absurdly privileged travel.
Although the Columbia University booklet makes some passing references to the lessons of social consciousness that passengers occasionally will pick up in the course of its $68,950 trip (in Senegal, they will see demonstrations of programs that have “taught village elders how to install solar panels”), the overwhelming message of the booklet is a description of the wildlife and colorful native arts and clothing to be seen in a dozen African nations. The tours are quite similar to those sold by standard tour operators to the public at large, but in this case enhanced by private jet transportation (in a Boeing 757 configured to accommodate only 78 travelers instead of the 233 seats normally found in a Boeing 757), by the provision of free liquor at all times, by the presence of an “expedition physician” who will accompany the group throughout, and every other type of rarified luxury. The booklet makes it clear that the overwhelming emphasis of the tour is not on political or social matters, but on the standard attractions of African safaris and other tours.
At the end of a letter to “Dear Fellow Columbian,” Columbia’s vice president for alumni relations urges that readers make their travel plans early, “as this journey is sure to fill quickly.” Here, apparently, is proof that despite the recent financial crisis and relatively slow U.S. economy, there exists a large segment of ultra-wealthy people who have money to burn.
According to my own calculations, if all 78 seats of this trip are sold at the per-person, double-occupancy rate, the 78 participants will have spent a total of approximately $5.3 million in flaunting their wealth. The same $5.3 million could have saved the lives of thousands of ill-nourished African children.
I abominate this immoral display of wealth, spending more on recreational travel than people are quite easily able to do. For a fraction of $68,950, participants could have had a thoroughly comfortable and comprehensive 21-day tour of Africa, and could have dedicated the savings to helping the African people rather than looking down on them from the heights of great wealth. Are there times when overexpenditures for travel become immoral?
[ Arthur Frommer is the pioneering founder of the Frommer's Travel Guide book series. He co-hosts the radio program, The Travel Show, with his travel correspondent daughter Pauline Frommer. Find more destinations online and read Arthur Frommer's blog at frommers.com. ]
read comments (0)World Wide Travel, tour bus company involved in Bronx crash, had been cited …
Posted by admin in General on 03 13th, 2011Saturday, March 12th 2011, 5:33 PM
The tour bus company involved in yesterday’s horrific crash was being watched by fed officials after being cited five times for “fatigued driving” after crashes, online records show.
World Wide Travel was put on alert status after five violations were issued between December 2009 and last October, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website shows.
The violations were issued in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Jersey, the website says. The notation “post crash violation” is listed on each citation online.
“FMCSA is working with state highway patrol and [the] NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board] to further review the carrier’s records and overall safety operation,” spokeswoman Candice Tolliver wrote in an email.
SURVIVOR STORY: IT WAS A NIGHTMARE
The agency’s website also shows that World Wide Travel has been in two crashes with injuries in the past two years. Tolliver did not provide specifics about the crashes but said neither involved fatalities.
World Wide Travel released a statement yesterday saying it was cooperating with investigators.
“We are a family-owned company and realize words cannot begin to express our sorrows to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured in this tragic accident,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
A company worker who wouldn’t give his name said the company’s officers were scrambling to figure out the details of the accident.
“We can’t believe it,” he said. “I’m shocked.”
Matthew Yu, a ticket agent for the Mohegan Sun casino, from where the doomed bus was returning, said a lot of people who take the bus are regulars, and he may have sold one of them a ticket.
“Some of the regulars I know. I couldn’t find out anything. I sent someone to the hospital,” Yu said, choking back tears.
Buses were still making the trip to the casino yesterday, although 20 to 25 people were on each bus, down from Saturday’s normal high of 35 to 40, Yu said.
He said he heard about the crash when another tour bus drove by the wreck and called him. “Everybody is in shock, trying to find out information,” he said.
The federal website shows that the company was in the 52.4 percentile for the fatigued-driving infraction. That means about half the carriers the company was compared with had fewer violations and about half had more – it was average.
tmoore@nydailynews.com
Travel: Two-wheel tour in Austria’s Wachau region
Posted by admin in General on 03 12th, 2011MAUTERN, AUSTRIA — Think of it as a workout where frequent wine-sipping breaks are a must.
With paths that wind through vineyards, fruit groves and fairy-tale villages overlooking the Danube, the alpine republic’s world-famous Wachau region is best explored by bike.
Hop on and off your cycle to sample the UNESCO World Heritage site’s internationally acclaimed Gruener Veltliner white wine, indulge in sweet, apricot-filled dumplings and trek up to the ruins of a castle where Richard the Lionheart was held captive.
A perfect place to kick off your two-wheel tour is the village of Mautern — about 80 kilometres west of Vienna — that boasts a Roman history museum and, not so incidentally, is home to one of the country’s best restaurants.
The family-run Landhaus Bacher — which also rents out rooms — creates delicious but pricey dishes from local products in a low-key yet chic setting.
Diners can choose from sophisticated multiple-course menus that, if space allows, can culminate with a dessert of two supersized “marillenknoedel” — traditional doughy delights dusted with breadcrumbs and sugar that, when split open, reveal steaming apricots — locally grown, of course.
Expect to pay upward of 250 euros ($335 Canadian) for a multiple-course dinner for two with wine. Prices are more reasonable at lunchtime, when about 100 euros ($135) will get you and a date a three-course meal each and wine. Dishes can also be ordered individually.
But first back to biking.
As you pedal upstream from the town of Krems — across the bridge from Mautern — you’ll soon hit the romantic village of Duernstein that, with its cobblestone streets and pastel blue church spire, is a major tourist draw. It was here that King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned for ransom from December 1192 until March 1193. Centuries later, the ruins of where he was held can still be explored.
History lesson complete, head down the hill to Weissenkirchen where a peak into Christian Loidl’s Wachauer Bauernladen store will get your stomach growling.
“We have regulars who come a few times a year to stock up,” the 38-year-old said during a recent visit. “On average, they’ll spend about 300 euros (about $400).”
Not surprising, considering what’s on the shelves: homemade jams and pasta, apricot nectar and, of course, crates and crates of wine.
With your mouth watering, keep heading west to two well-known wineries — Jamek and Holzapfel — housed in lovely buildings complete with outdoor tables to soak up the scenery and ease sore muscles.
Both make for perfect places to grab a bite accompanied by — what else? — a glass or two of the wine of your choosing. Not sure which concoction is best? Don’t be shy and ask to sample!
Next, head over to the hamlet of Willendorf where a voluptuous statuette dating back to the Paleolithic era was discovered more than 100 years ago and has been celebrated for her undeniably curvy, feminine figure ever since.
While the original is just 10 centimetres tall, visitors can pose next to a larger-than-life replica of the 25,000-year-old beauty while enjoying a stunning view of the Danube down below.
Exactly what the Venus of Willendorf represents — or who carved her all those thousands of years ago — remains a mystery. Was she a fertility symbol, a lucky charm, a goddess — maybe even a prehistoric piece of pornography?
Ponder that as you head uphill through Emmersbach to a delightful donkey troupe where kids young and old can take tours with Bonifaz, Fridolin and Willibald or one of the other gentle animals. Those who have the time and speak German, can even apply for a make believe “donkey licence” after answering fun trivia questions and guiding one of your new furry friends through some exercises.
Sweetening up the steep climb about halfway is a stunning view of the Melk Abbey — an impressive, vast structure that houses a church, museum, library and magnificent marble hall complete with fascinating frescoes — on the other side of the Danube.
Too tipsy or tired to continue? Then head back down and jump onto one of the many boats that take less fit tourists up and down the river. Within an hour and 40 minutes you are back in Krems.
The Associated Press
If you go . . .
Wachau: The region roughly refers to the stretch between Krems and Melk. The drive from Vienna to Krems takes about an hour and is advisable if you intend to stock up on wine. Alternatively, trains to Krems leave on a regular basis from the city’s Franz Josefs train station. For departure times, check www.oebb.at/en/index.jsp.
Lodgings: There are plenty of hotels, inns, rooms in private homes and even camp sites to choose from. Go online to search for options that best suit you. The Landhaus Bacher in Mautern at http://bit.ly/9PmhTa offers a small upscale guesthouse where, weather permitting, visitors can enjoy a generous breakfast buffet in a shady courtyard. For rates and availability, call +43 2732 82 937. The restaurant, while expensive, is ideal for gourmets and for celebrating special occasions. Reservations are a must! Both the Jamek (+43 2715 2235) and Holzapfel (+43 2715 2310) wineries also offer a small number of rooms. More details available on their websites: www.weingut-jamek.at/en/ and www.holzapfel.at.
Bikes: There are plenty of rentals to be had for those not bringing their own set of wheels. “Rent a Wachau Bike” in Mautern — reachable at +43(0)664 214 35 12 or www.rentawachaubike.at — will deliver them to your home away from home.
Donkeys: Visit Karl Schroll’s donkey troupe in Rantenberg 4, 3644 Emmersdorf for a trek or carriage ride through the countryside. For more information call +43 664 134 59 56 or write to karl.schroll@wachauer.at. German skills are advisable, especially if you intend to try your luck at getting a so-called donkey licence.
Melk Abbey: Plan to spend a few hours at the abbey to get a good feel for the place. Tickets for adults, including a guided tour, cost 11.50 euros ($14.6). Opening hours and other details at http://bit.ly/a9dbMB.
Boat cruises: There are various boat cruise operators that offer an array of options. An overview can be found at http://bit.ly/9WjDap. Check the schedules before you go since times tend to vary depending on the day and season. You might also want to try crossing the Danube with a special type of ferry in the town of Spitz. Within minutes, you’ll be in the hamlet of Arnsdorf. Cars and bikes are also allowed on board.
Other tips: Schedule your trip from the late spring through the middle of fall since the winter months tend to be very quiet and not conducive to biking due to the weather. Last but not least: Don’t forget your padded cycling shorts and helmets!
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Impact Travel
Posted by admin in General on 03 12th, 2011In the aftermath of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, the U.S. Department of State issued a travel alert urging “U.S. citizens to avoid tourism and non-essential travel to Japan at this time.”
The advisory goes on to say that “strong aftershocks are likely for weeks following a strong earthquake such as this one” and that “many roads have been damaged in the Tokyo area and in northern Japan.”
Jason Sabio, a member of the Philippine national soccer team, landed at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport as the earthquake began. He took to Facebook to let family and friends know he was safe.
“I am safe, but stranded. We touched down about 3 pm Tokyo time. While on the runway, the ground was shaking. At that time the ground began to shake violently and the airport was shaking. We have been stranded on the plane for over 5 hours. Narita is closed. No word of when we will be able to get off the plane. I will keep everyone updated when the Internet is on. Very spotty. God Bless.”
Thousands were left stranded in airports overnight, and according to FlightAware.com more than 650 flights were cancelled. In northeast Japan Sendai Airport was completely covered in water.
But less than 24 hours after Sabio’s harrowing journey, both of Tokyo’s airports, Narita and Haneda, are open and flights are beginning to resume. However, roads in Tokyo have been heavily congested because both the metro and train system remain closed.
Despite the recent events both tour companies ABC News spoke with said they had received few cancellations and plan on continuing tours next week.
InsideJapan Tours currently has 70 clients in the country and sends 5,000 people to Japan every year.
“There is lots of travel in the coming weeks because we are getting into cherry blossom season,” said Mathew Eccles, U.S. Branch Manager. “Everything can change rapidly, but at the moment we are going to continue our tours as planned. There is no reason for people to change their plans.”
Travel agencies warned to suspend tours to northeastern Japan
Posted by admin in General on 03 12th, 2011 Taipei, March 12 (CNA) The Tourism Bureau warned travel agencies Saturday that they would be legally liable if they were to take tour groups in the near future to Japan’s Aomori, Iwate, Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, areas devastated by Friday’s massive earthquake and tsunami.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a red alert for travel to the areas Friday night, essentially telling people to stay away, and travel agencies ignoring the alert would be subject to legal liabilities, said Tourism Bureau Deputy Director-General Wayne Liu. Tour groups scheduled to visit other parts of Japan, however, were allowed to stick to their itineraries since no other area in Japan was included under the ministry’s highest-level travel alert, Liu said. Still, travel agencies in Taiwan have reached an agreement to suspend trips to the Tokyo area on safety concerns. Roger Hsu, secretary-general of the Travel Agent Association of R.O.C. Taiwan (TAAT) , said that because many hotels in Tokyo have experienced water and power outages, the industry has decided to hold back tour groups until the situation there became clearer. Meanwhile, flights from Taiwan to the Tokyo area have returned to normal after two international airports in the Japanese capital were reopened after being shut down following the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that rattled the eastern half of Honshu. As of Saturday afternoon, 40 Taiwanese tour groups with 1,087 travelers in Tokyo had been confirmed as being safe, according to the Tourism Bureau. Hsu said the association will help arrange for 300 travelers with 11 tour groups to take flights back to Taiwan Saturday. China Airlines, Taiwan’s biggest carrier, also said it would send bigger aircraft to help bring home travelers still held up in Tokyo’s Narita Airport. (By Chen Shun-hsieh and Lee Hsin-Yin) enditem/ls
