Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Death Watch of an Airline

There is not much worse than the death watch of anyone or anything but when it is a national airline, it is very hard to take.

And once again Air Canada is on the brink as Montie Brewer resigns as President and CEO to be replace by a guy named Calin Ravinsescu.

Haven't heard of him? It may be because he may be more of a backroom numbers guy whose expertise includes corporate restructuring.

Things are bad at AC and the a step into bankruptcy protection may be not far off. This is the second time in 6 years.

I wonder if any lessons have been learned. Air Canada was once the pride of a nation until it forgot who really pays the bills and found increasingly innovative ways to irritate their customer base.

I want AC to survive. I want them to be profitable. And I want them to remember those of us who buy the tickets.

And I have never blamed the front lines. They have made their sacrifices. They have also paid the price but from the top down attitudes have quite frankly sucked the big one. And I have seen it first hand.

Let's hope for a renewed sense of service so we can return with a new sense of optimism. Let them deal with attitudes and the money will follow.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 12:15 PM  |  0 Comments

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Five Ways to Pack Better

It was a client who came into the store and related how their luggage with all their medications in it that prompted me to start passing on some important tips to save stress and frustrations.

1. Never ever let your medications of any kind out of your sight when travelling. Some medications may even require a doctors certificate for you to take on board with you but if a pice of your luggage gets waylaid you will have a very hard time getting your prescription refilled in many countries.

2. If you are travelling with a spouse or partner make a point of using half of each persons clothing in each bag. That way if only one gets lost you have some outfits to last you at least a few days.

3. Always take at least one change of clothes in your carry-on. If your bags are lost you have a days lee way to feel comfortable.

4. Look at using packing cubs for more effective and efficient arrangement of your belongings. They come in different colours and sizes. At the last place we stayed in Punta Cana there were no dressers at all. Packing cubes give you the option of not living out of a suitcase and the cubes do not look out of place on counters or table tops. Some people who travel with children use one colour cube for one child and a second colour for another.

5. Compression packs are inexpensive and allow you take take smaller suitcases with you, particular of you are going on some motor coach tours which have size restrictions.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 3:07 PM  |  0 Comments

Monday, March 23, 2009

Who's Picture is on Your Dollar

One thing that is hitting home to me more and more. Don't leave home without it. Not the American Express card which does come in handy but rather hard cold American cash.

In many Caribbean countries they don't even want their own currency. And they most frequently quote you prices in American.

And you should change your Canadian into American before you go because your hotel exchange rate is always murderous.

We found the same in Mexico. And while the Euro was appearing to be at a stage to usurp the power of the US greenback, the current economic crisis has set it back substantively.

So take the currency that works best. And make sure you ask for crisp new bills. We did not have any problems on this trip but over the last few weeks I have had many comments about money being refused because it was not in perfect condition, with one email saying a pen mark in the corner was enough to get a bill nixxed at one exchange shop.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 6:02 PM  |  0 Comments

Why I Golf on Vacation

I have travelled pretty much around the world and most of the places I have gone I have tried to squeeze in at least one golf game.

Why would I do this when I am not a particularly good golfer. my game, particularly at new courses, seeks to keep in the high 90's but I frequently find myself over the century mark.

Yet I love the game, and I think I love it even more when I travel.

This week underscored why for me.

I golfed three games in Punta Cana on three different tracks.

Game One...I am partnered with a man from France, whose English was sketchy but a very nice man. One of the things I like about Punta Cana is the cosmopolitan feel to the place with airlines from many countries at the airport and as I wrote about Playa Del Carmen, a menu of languages being spoken around you.

Back to game one. My other two game mates are a couple from Calgary. Names are exchanged and he identifies the obvious when I introduce myself from Manitoba, that I am of Ukrainian discent.

He explains that he is also Ukrainian and actually grew up in Manitoba. When I ask where he tells me in a small town called Rossburn in the Western part of the province.

I tell him I grew up less sthan 15 miles away in an even smaller town called Angusville.

After much discussion I find he was best friends with my younger first cousin from Rossburn and knew many of the people I knew.

I golfed alone for game two and didn't like it at all...And my score showed it.

Game three...I golf with this guy, Tom, and I wish I could remember his last name because he was great to golf with. He's a lawyer from Cleavland and really is quite a good golfer even though he had a few bad holes.

The point is we had great discussions on the course, about not much really, but just simple plain talk.

So why to I like golf when I am away.

I meet interesting and fascinating people.

Golf courses around the world are carved out of some of the best land, rightly or wrongly. The views can be spectacular. On La Cana course that day we had at least six holes bordering the ocean.

Even inland courses are often build on and around valleys and other viewpoints. And since the idea of frying in the hot sun just to modify the pigment of my skin makes no sense to me. So doing something constuctive like learning to swear in several languages, chasing small white round objects into bush and sand, and oh yeh meeting some of the finest individuals on earth does it for me.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 5:46 PM  |  0 Comments

Punta Cana is what Dreams are Made of

Last night we got back from Punta Cana after a long flight, which was longer than should have been because after leaving Punta Cana it picked up passengers in Puerta Plata.

The wait wasn't that long but it really extended the total flight time and we were very tired when we got home.

But the memories were good.

It was our second trip to the Dominican, which I still think may have the finest sand beaches in the world. The beaches are wide and great for long long walks.

My wife insisted we walk over an hour each day which seemed also to extend with each passing trek. However considering we came back from another All Inclusive without gaining weight, I guess I should be thanking here.

I am lucky because my wife Rae, short for Raymonde, likess to sleep in while I need very little sleep. So she sleeps while I head out to the golf courses. I will do a separate entry on why golf away is so special even for a rediculously terrible golfer like myself.

We stayed at the Dreams Palm Beach resort which was very nice. Excellent selection of restaurants. We both recommend the Italian and French over the others but the Steak House on the beach was not hard to handle.

Dreams has an interesting concept of no reservations which was exceptional for half the meals and led to long waits for the other half. But they do warn you that between 7 and 8, the waits might be long. So guess when Rae and I chose to dine.

The pools at Dreams are amazing and provide lots of tanning space for those who prefer the poolside over the ocean side. I don't figure that one out. Why travel that far to be at an ocean and sit around a pool. Each to his (or her) own.

There's not a lot to do in Punta Cana so you really do get to relax. Good books and a few glasses of wine pass the day quickly after golf.

I do recommend Dreams for those who are interested. We also were at Dreams Punta Cana which looks great but the road to get there is brutal.

A new highway adjacent to the old looks like it is ready to open soon, and the sooner the better.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 5:34 PM  |  0 Comments

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Dine with the Stars of Old

There may be new stars showing up every evening for all I know but there is a piece of Las Vegas history less than a five minute drive from the strip on Sahara Avenue at number 308.

The Golden Steer Steak House was opened in 1958, and while Sammy Davis Junior, the great black entertainer of the era was not able to sleep in the Casinos in which he entertained, he could dine with his friends Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra and the rest of the rat pack at some of the restaurants, including this one.

It is said that it was Sammy who discovered the spot as he was walking past it to get to the cheap motel he was forced to stay in when he played Las Vegas. He took a look in, liked what he saw and it became a haunt for he and his buddies.

Time passes and the the Steak House has expanded a couple of times but the honored tables remain.

What also remains is the quality which must have kept them coming back. I ordered the prime rib along with creamed spinach and mushrooms. Thinking it would be like a number of other places where I have dined, where the difference between what you think your getting and what you actually receive are decidedly different, I ordered the 24 ounce Diamond Jim cut.

It bloody well filled the plate...And I say bloody well because that's the way I like it. It was also about an inch and a quarter thick.

I tried my damdest but there is no way I could finish it even though it was absolutely fantastic. One of the best prime ribs I've had in a well...Corn fed rare.

The staff was friendly and the hostess that evening, Stephanie Steele, knew the history and proved to be an excellent raconteur when I asked her to provide me some background.

Not only has she been there a long time but manger John Burke has been there 26 years and has seen hundreds of stars and other famous people pass through.

Looking for a great cut of beef.

I heartily recommend The Golden Steer Steak House.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 4:34 PM  |  0 Comments

leaving Las Vegas Casino

If you have seen either of the movies Casino or leaving las Vegas you have seen the inside of the Riviera Hotel, one of the oldest properties on the strip.

At five stories, it was billed as the first high rise Casino in las Vegas when it was constucted in the 50's. It expanded many times and then went through what a term a tired period.

Even though it remained successful it reached a point where it needed upgrading.

Well not anymore. I just got back from las Vegas and stayed in the property because I had heard it had been substantively refurbished.

Twenty million dollars has returned it to its former glory and while not trying to compete with new mega properties further up the strip, neither does it ask for the same nightly rate.

On this trip I chose to go to Hoover Dam for the first time and genuinely enjoyed the drive and the visit. It is quite a structure and observing the new road that is being built high high high above it, I may be the only person in the world who got vertigo looking upwards.

Driving over it when it is completed will be an experience for those of us afraid of heights.

It is clear that Vegas is suffering. the numbers of people are not filling the casinos and the numbers of delegates one usually expects at a trade show are not materializing. I was attending a Travel Goods Show where I buy product for our on line and bricks and mortor retail outlets and the impact of the recession was clear in the hallways between the display booths which were not crowded as they were last year.

But the economy will recover and people will return to las Vegas. It is just too much of an entertainment centre to keep away from...and even in times of trouble people need to escape and relax. Las Vegas will be there waiting with tables, both dining and gambling, the sights and sounds, and that palpating excitment that comes with the dazzle of lights and the flip of a card.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 3:50 PM  |  0 Comments

Richmond British Columbia makes for a fine visit

The last time I was in Richmond, which really seems like Vancouver since it is only about 20 minutes from the heart of downtown, it was to visit an Uncle and Aunt who have long ago passed away.

It was always interesting to go into Richmond because it was relatively small, mostly undeveloped, and very easy to get around in.

Things have really changed.

It is quite big now and the Olympics will make it even more popular as visitors go there to watch the speed skating events in the newly completed Oval. This truly is an exciting structure. During my recent TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) meeting we had a cocktail party and dinner there.

It is impressive, created in part from wormwood, which is recycled dead trees destroyed by that devastating pest. The structure will be turned into a giant health facility after the Olympics for Richmond and other BC residents.

There are more Asian restaurants there than you will find in most cities and the quality of them seems to be consistently outstanding.

We stayed at the River Rock Casino and even though it has only been open for a short time, it is already a success story with exceptionally high occupancy levels. It is very nice and worth staying in whether you are a gambler or not.

I am in the process of finishing a story on the area which I hope will find a publication home soon.
One of the hidden treasures we did visit though was a little place called Stevested, a community which is still a part of the Richmond district.

It must be Vancouver's best kept secret because it is never promoted but it is on the waterfront with lots of restaurants and shops including the best fish and chip offering I have tasted in a very long time.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 3:36 PM  |  0 Comments

Stories and Photos get Award Honours

Part of the reason I have been on the road lately was to attend the annual conference of the Travel Media Writers Association of Canada in Richmond, British Columbia.

Richmond itself is a fascinating place and I will have more to say about it in a separate posting.

However it was gratifying to be honoured with the award for the best action photo of the year for a picture I took of a cliff diver in Mazatlan. You can view that photo if you like by going on the www.journeystravelgear.com site and clicking the link at the bottom to destination stories and bringing up the story entitled The Real Mazatlan.

I feel lucky in winning this award because, while I consider myself a reasonably good photographer I think it is my new Nikon D80 and the fact I take hundreds of photos that help. Sooner or later one does have to succeed. But I am nevertheless pleased with the award in no small part because I have just been notified that the very same photo was given an award of Merit from the North American Travel Journalists Association, another travel writers organization.

At the same time I am informed I got a Merit Award for a Mediterannean Cruise story I did last year which can be read on the same site if you like.

It surely was my week as another project I did on behalf of the Winnipeg Convention Centre in the creation of a marketing piece for them won the first prize in the category, and this one actually has a stay at a very nice property attached to the award.

I write for the love of it so winning or not is not really that important but we do all appreciate recognition, don't we?

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 3:22 PM  |  0 Comments

Keeping Up to Date

A blog is only as interesting as the content on it and readers must surely be frustrated with my dedication to keeping up with this one.

However, I have been on the road almost every week for the past several and am on my way again tomorrow for a few days in Montreal, a city I love, and then to Punta Cana shortly after for a week.

On top of that I have a river cruise in Europe for mid April and trip to Achorage, Alaska in early May.

Shortly after my son-in-law and I will go to a fly-in fishing lodge in northern Manitoba in June.

In October my wife and I will host a cruise aboard the Voyageur Seven Seas from Istanbul to Athens followed almost immediately with a trip to Quebec City.

I still plan to do a few days of golfing with my son in Arizona to round out the year.

Even though I love it, I'm tired already.

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posted by That Travel Guy @ 3:12 PM  |  0 Comments