Everyone who has ever flown has had to endure a safety demonstration, usually a video that is played just before takeoff.
I use the word “endure” advisedly. Even though many airlines are going to great eforts and expense to make these videos entertaining, it is clearly in vain. The fact is that nobody likes them and nobody is paying attention.
I’m an Australian who lives in the Middle East. During a travel stopover in Bangkok, I received a social-media message from a Filipino friend wishing me a happy Thanksgiving.
Now, I’m a great one for celebrations, and I like to see other people happy. Be it Eid, Christmas or Diwali, or any other religious festival, or a national day, I’m happy to acknowledge the occasion with those who hold it dear. But Thanksgiving is a tricky one.
I’m on the move again. There will be more words soon, but first, some pictures from the past few weeks spent in Australia.
Question: when is a holiday not a holiday?
Answer: well, it depends on where you live.
I love old books for many reasons, including the fact that they are reminders of how things change.
During my visit to Australia, I was happy to stumble upon the New Australian World Atlas, which my family used as reference book when I was very young.
Horse racing season has begun in the United Arab Emirates, home to some of the world’s best racing and training facilities, and the wealthiest owners.
If you’ve been to the races elsewhere in the world, you’ll feel at home at the racetracks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Meydan and Jebel Ali), where events are run to international rules. But some expats will notice that two key ingredients are missing (or difficult to find): alcoholic beverages and ontrack betting.
I am a big fan of loyalty schemes, but I’m the first to admit that I’m no expert.
There are entire websites devoted to helping you make the most out of frequent-flyer and hotel memberships, and the credit cards that link to them.
If you really want to maximise your points, and you are prepared to change banks, juggle many cards at once and go slightly crazy doing it, I suggest you check them out. Lucky’s One Mile At A Time blog is a good place to start. You’ll be amazed at how he manages to make the system work for him, often resulting in spectacular upgrades and free trips. But it’s a full-time job. Continue reading It pays to know the rules
Are people becoming afraid of having fun?
A accident that killed four people on a ride at Dreamworld on Australia’s Gold Coast has reportedly led to a decline in the number of theme park visitors.
If Contiki were a person, it would be way too old to go on one of its own tours. The company, which taesk 18 to 35 year olds to tourist hotspots around the world, has been in business since 1962.
The secret to is continued success has been knowing what young people want from a travel experience.
16 November
The world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, has been officially named in Miami, Florida.
In an update of an age-old “christening” ceremony, Brittany Affolter, a 23-year-old teacher who is the ship’s godmother, pushed a button that led to a champagne bottle being broken over the ship.
The best travel advice for any destination often comes from the people who live there.
I qualified that statement with “often” because there is one thing that locals aren’t good at — but I will come to that later.
While credit and debit cards have made things a lot easier, there’s always a need for travellers to have cash — and getting the right amount can be a nightmare.
For starters, changing money is always fraught. You can be assured that you’re going to lose on the deal. Even those exchange booths that promise “no commission” are paying their way (and then some) somehow, and that’s by charging you an unfavourable rate.
15 November
Winners have been announced in the 2016 edition of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
14 November
The hobby of “brown signing” is being celebrated in Britain via the annual calendar of the Dull Men’s Club.
The 2017 calendar, the first to feature women, includes a picture of Amanda Hone, 36, who has an obsession with the brown signs that point the way to points of interest to tourists.
Ms Hone said: “Soon after leaving university I quit my job, saved up some money and spent a year travelling around Britain following brown signs.”
She runs a website that lists all the brown signs in the United Kingdom.
November 14
New Zealand”s South Island has been hit by a powerful earthquake that has left at least two people dead.
Evacuations were underway early on Monday local time after a 7.8 magnitude quake and reports of a tsunami heading for the east coast of both islands.
Quake-related damage has been reported in several places including the capital of Wellington.
Updated 13 November, 2016
The official Visit Britain tourism site is offering a free downloadable 2017 guide to Scotland here.
The Celebrity Solstice will become the first major cruise ship to be based in Dublin. The decision by Celebrity Cruises, to come into effect by 2018, is said to be worth 6 million euros to the Irish economy.
Emirates airlines has announced I n online advertisements and elsewhere that it will now only fly two types of aircraft — the Airbus A380 and the Boeing B777.
Many people will be aware of this video made by American actor Johnny Depp and his now-ex-wife Amber Heard about Australia’s strict quarantine laws.
The video was made as part of a deal when the couple faced charges for brining their dogs, Pistol and Boo, into Australia illegally. Their awakwardness is probably explained by the deteriorating relationship between the couple, but it also may indicate a lack of commitment to the words they are speaking.
The French are arrogant, the English are miserable, Scots are tight with their money, Australians are boorish drunks, Italians are dangerously passionate, Americans are loud know-it-alls …
If you agree with any of these statements, then you’re guilty of buying into stereotypes. While it’s true that stereotypes develop from a grain of truth or experience, they too often get exaggerated and disguise a very important fact about humanity.
After their hotel stays, many guests receive an online survey asking them to rate the service and facilities.
I have a problem with these surveys — they are often too detailed, too long and too time-consuming; they often demand answers to questions that are irrelevant to the respondent; and they require some of us to think in ways we may not normally think.
Update: The closure of GoMA, as addressed in this blog post, was the topic of a spot on radio station 612 ABC Brisbane. Hear Brett Debritz talk to Spencer Howson here.
When I was a child growing up in Brisbane, the Brisbane River was the big divide. If you were born on the north side, as I was, you rarely travelled south of the river. If you born on the south, you never went north.
The emergence of the Cultural Precinct in South Brisbane changed all that. By building a new theatre complex (the Queensland Performing Arts Centre) and relocating the State Library, Art Gallery and Museum to the southside — along with setting World Expo 88 in the grounds that are now known as Southbank Parklands, the state government created a reason for northerners to venture south and southsiders to feel a little smug.
