Air Trans is offering me two round trip tickets if I charge $2000 in the first three months of using its card.
Delta Airlines is offering me 35,000 miles if I charge $750 in my first three months of using its card
Well, I'm pissed at Delta because it charged me for a piece of checked baggage on a technicality when I flew between Istanbul and St. Louis. The employee could have used his discretion, but no he didn't, citing the fact that the travel agency had booked two separate tickets: one from Istanbul to New York and another from New York to St. Louis. So even though I had free checked baggage on the international leg, I got zinged for the NY to STL leg. ... I'm getting irritated all over again just writing about it, the assholes. So, no, Delta, I'm not going to accept your offer. You did me wrong back in July.
So .... two round trip tickets? I have no grudge against Air Tran. I'll have to crunch some numbers. See, the thing is, although two round trip tickets somewhere sounds nice, there are collateral costs that come with a trip that maybe I hadn't planned on taking.
Recently, I've been watching documentaries about long journeys. Really long journeys.
Here is a selection in no particular order:
180 Degrees South
180 Degrees South. Beautiful scenery. You could actually pop this movie onto your screen, set it for auto-replay, hit mute, and enjoy a constant loop of outdoor beauty without sound while you go about your business. You mght want to watch it fully first, though, as it has several stories to relate to you. Good music, too.
In brief: "The film emulates the 1968 trip made by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia,
but rather than by land, Jeff Johnson travels by sea from Mexico and
south along the west coast of Chile. The film opens with original home movie
footage as taken by Chouinard and Tompkins, and then continues with
Johnson's own footage, in which he includes surfing, sailing and
climbing..."
A movie trailer:
Ride the Divide
Ride the Divide is about a 2711-mile bike race along the Continental Divide from Banff, Alberta, Canada, to the U.S.-Mexico border at Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
Riders encountered snow, heat, rain, dangerous inclines and declines, mechanical failures, bears, bison, deer, blisters, open sores, swollen legs and feet, dehydration, and terrible loneliness. They were awed by transcendent natural beauty, and then, almost bored by it. Assuming appropriate fitness, skill, and properly-working gear, the race, because of its length and solitary nature, was a brain game.
Here's a trailer:
Running the Sahara
Running the Sahara is about three men (and their rather large support crew) ... running the Sahara Desert. Each of the men has an interesting backstory. I've got some strong likes and dislikes about this movie.
I liked the soundtrack - music composed by Heitor Pereira. Except. Nothing against Mr. Pereira, but the race went through Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt. Countries with rich, rich musical structure. Mali alone is world-renowned for its music. What an artistic opportunity wasted, to not use the music of the Saharan people.
It was painful to watch Charlie, one of the runners, do a manipulation number on Don's head (the crew chief). Bullshit like, "If you don't want to be here, then leave now." Stoopid. Is he doing the job today? Is he there today? Is he acting professionally? Then whether or not he wants to be there is irrelevant. Although this bit of unpleasantness was explained - quite understandably - as being a result of the severe emotional toll the running takes, I'm guessing this is Charlie's MO when it comes to getting his way on things. ... especially when the petulant behavior continued as the race went on. Could be that Charlie's just kind of a jerk even when he's not doing a 111-day run of 4400+ miles. His teammates, Kevin and Ray, showed a lot of grace when dealing with him.
Some of the scenery is stunning. As with the other journey documentaries, the movie illustrated how critical one's attitude is to sustain oneself through such an arduous expedition.
I found a charming section of Carrizozo during my first pass-through of town here.
This past weekend, I saw the more glum aspect. The decaying buildings reminded me of Rustavi. There's still time, perhaps, to resuscitate, maybe not. In theory, Carrizozo is in a fairly good tourist location at the junction of Highways 54 and 380, a crossroads to head toward Alamogordo (and White Sands), Socorro, Santa Rosa (and Route 66), or into the mountains.
But there's nothing at that intersection to draw an impulsive passer-by into the village proper. The intersection looks like any number of highway-junction corners with a gas station and maybe a cafe. If travelers saw something to the south that drew the eye and seduced them into this character town, only yards away, they could be persuaded to spend a couple of hours. Spending money.
If you fall into any of these categories, then this post is not for you:
You love to shop!
It makes you happy to be surrounded by items you've collected from your travels.
You adore giving gifts!
You already know what you're doing and are having a good time doing it. Carry on.
No, this post is for people who:
Don't really enjoy shopping
Often seem to buy the wrong souvenirs
Feel anxious about which souvenirs to buy for folks back home
Feel like you "should" buy a souvenir, but really don't want to collect any more stuff
First Law: You don't have to buy any souvenirs
Freeing yourself of souvenir-buying saves you:
Time shopping, which you can spend on more pleasant pursuits.
Money that you can apply toward a longer stay, a lodging upgrade, additional stops, more activities on your trip ... or keep safe in your savings account.
Luggage bloat that is inconvenient and perhaps costly.
Guilt that you aren't doing something you think you should be doing while traveling.
From having to apply a work attitude while on vacation, toward the goal of souvenir purchase.
Freeing yourself of the chore of buying souvenirs allows you to enjoy sensory-dazzling markets without a care, merely offering gracious "no thank you's" to vendors. You can devote your experience to taking in the sights and smells and sounds. Taking photos. Touching the wares. Or, get this: You don't have to visit a market at all, if you don't want.
If you happen to see something you must have, great! That is serendipitous and adds to the travel experience in a positive way.
Second Law: Remember the light at home.
What looks stunning and exotic and perfect! on your trip may look out of place at home.
This applies especially to artwork, and it especially applies to situations where you've bought an item in a sun-drenched location and brought it back home to, say, the Midwest, New England, or the Northwest, where the light is so completely different.
The color palette of a painting that looked smashing on your trip might not make sense in your house. It might not work with your existing decor, or your light does not support the wonderful energy you saw in the painting when it was in its original environment.
Sometimes it's best to just appreciate a work of art in the moment and in its original context, and leave it there. If you wish, take a photo of it, if the vendor allows, so you can revisit the piece in an album as often as you wish.
This rule also applies to clothing. As beautiful as that scarf, shawl, harem pants, caftan, or traditional hat is ... will you (or your unsuspecting recipient) actually wear it back home?
On my first trip to Ethiopia in 2006, I bought several gorgeous (gorgeous!) shawls of the most brilliant hues and designs. But what I found upon returning home was that I never quite found the right opportunity to wear them, or even the knack to wearing them in a way that felt comfortable to me. I brought back a number of scarves for gifts, but as beautiful as they were, the recipients didn't wear them.
Here are some helpful questions to ask yourself before buying a souvenir:
Will I (or the recipient) really wear this at home? When? Where? With what?
Where will I (or the recipient) display this in the house? Will the colors work with the light and decor? Is its size the right scale for the room?
Another technique I've found useful is to walk away from the item and continue shopping. If I still want it after I finish perusing the market, then that's a green light. Often, I find that I don't want the item enough to go back and retrieve it, thus saving myself buyer's remorse later.
Third Law: You are a rabbit, the vendor is a hawk. Never forget that.
Rabbits and hawks are both worthy creatures, but each has its own agenda.
The hawk's agenda is to separate you from as much of your money as possible. Your agenda, as the rabbit, is to enjoy the day and get home with your hide intact.
Do not feel sorry for the vendor or worry that you might take advantage of the vendor. [Insert uproarious laughter here.] Regardless of the vendor's age or gender, trust that the vendor is a master hunter and you are the game.
When you forget this rule, you may:
Buy souvenirs you don't really want
Pay more for souvenirs than you want to pay
Feel bad about your buying experience
If you don't want to buy anything:
Don't make eye contact with vendors unless you want to engage in a conversation
Don't answer questions unless you want to engage in a conversation
Don't shake hands unless you want to engage in a conversation
Say "no, thank you" and repeat as needed if you're looking at a vendor's wares. If you're just walking through, then keep on moving.
If you're interested in an item:
In cases where your travel location is famous for certain items, such as precious metals or stones, or textiles, or whatever, do some research before you go to the market. Know, in general, what to look for in quality, price, and any common scams.
In a market where haggling is the norm, a rule of thumb is to offer half the vendor's asking price and go from there. But do some research about what the bargaining norms are for the country you'll be in. Asking a clerk at your place of lodging is a good strategy.
Have a limit on what you're willing to pay for an item and stick to it.
Fourth Law: Think Ahead
If you want to get souvenirs, then before you leave on your trip, think ahead:
Who do I want to buy souvenirs for (including myself)?
What artwork will complement my house vis a vis color, size, style?
What is my souvenir budget (total, per person, per category of recipient - such as family, friends, work)?
What do my gift recipients like? What are their interests? What do they wear? Do they have pierced ears? What size clothing do they wear?
Would any of my prospective recipients, truthfully, really prefer nothing, as they don't want to add to the stuff they already own?
Write this stuff down and take the list with you. Use the list as a daily prompt to help you keep an eye out for items as you enjoy your day.
Making such a list will help you avoid situations where you:
Just buy "stuff" in quantity and assume you'll figure out who to give it to when you get home
Forget to buy a souvenir for an individual you want to give something to
Are in a last-day panic of "I've got to go buy souvenirs today or else ...!"
Buy things you really don't want
Spend more than you want
Fifth Law: Check the Bottom
I'm not going to mention names, but I still shake my head over the gift a friend gave me upon his return from a certain country far, far away. It was a wooden carving representing a figure from that country. When I turned it over, I saw a sticker, Made in China.
Helloooooo?!
[If you're going to buy something "local," but see that it was made in China, then at least take the sticker off. ;).]
Sadly, my experiences in Gardabani, Georgia, in spring 2012 are only now being brought to life in the written form. I smile every time I think of Gardabani.
In Nothing There Tour #1, I told you about Vakhtangisi, which is on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. In that report, I explained how Georgians wondered why anyone would go to Gardabani because "therrre's nothing therrrre!"
Now I've gone twice to Gardabani!
Some highlights:
Something called "kubdari," which is a tasty meat pie - a small pizza with a lid, say
A surprise supra with strangers
A good white wine made by an Azeri-Georgian
Men in black
Georgian rap
Filthy WC
Chickens having sex
Horses running down the street
What do you mean nothing is there?!
Gardabani, Georgia. Restaurant door.
The first time
The first time I went to Gardabani was with Sandy; we stopped on our way back from Vakhtangisi. Had lunch at the restaurant next to the Orthodox church. Like so many Georgian restaurants, it had a fine door.
Georgian servers are also skilled at upselling their products, and we ended up with far too much food on the table. In addition to a tomato-cucumber-parsley-onion salad, we had a khachapuri and kubdari, a sort of meat pizza pie. Delicious. Most of the stuff we carried out with us to take back home to Rustavi.
A Georgian restaurant tradition I like is the prevalence of "kupays"in most places. They are private rooms or alcoves. They let you escape from the noise and smoke of the larger dining room.
Another Georgian custom I like is that when there's live music, the band plays one song, then takes a break instead of the one-hour or half-hour sets in the U.S. One song, then break. The Georgian way is the perfect win - you can listen to the music, dance, and also talk to your companions throughout the evening.
When we emerged from the restaurant, we walked across the main drag to find a marshrutka. In the yard of some official building, we saw chickens engaged in digging a hole in the ground. Or maybe just laying eggs in an existing hole. Kind of interesting, what those hens were doing getting in and out of that hole in the ground. Then we saw the rooster come over and, well ... it was over very quickly.
We caught a marshrutka and returned to Rustavi with our culinary riches.
The second time - Bayrami!
Before we left Vakhtangisi, we learned from the English teacher, Nata, that there'd be a large Bayrami celebration in Gardabani the following week. Sandy couldn't go, but I was happy to be able to make it. I also let other TLGers know about it.
On an April Thursday mid-day, I got into Marshrutka #13 at the Old Bazaar in Old Rustavi and began the short trip to Gardabani. When we began, there were only an elderly woman and man on board, plus me. As we neared Gardabani, however, clutches of young girls boarded, giggling as girls do. Soon, the marshrutka was packed with tween girls. Some boys got on. Some men and women. By the time we rolled into Gardabani proper, the marshrutka was so tightly packed with humanity, individual bodies coalesced into one organ with multiple appendages that had limited range of movement.
The event was held in a park next to Gardabani's city hall ("meria"). There was a large stage for bands and dancers. Representatives from nearby villages had set up feast tables to show off their food and drink. (Though most Azeri-Georgians are Muslim, not all follow the proscription against alcohol consumption.)
Gardabani, Georgia
I saw several Bayrami maidens, bedecked with flowery headdresses, carrying the traditional fruit and new grass, to the village tables. Sometimes a band of music men accompanied them.
Men boiled khinkali.
Gardabani, Georgia
Politicos visited.
Men gave speeches.
Men ate.
Gardabani, Georgia
Gardabani, Georgia
Tea was made.
Gardabani, Georgia
I saw the director of Nata's Vakhtangisi school - that village was represented today also. I was invited to partake of its table's contents, including wine. All delicious.
There was music on the large stage - dances and concerts!
The Martins conduct slow travel around the world, staying in one place for about a month at a time. It's a nice way to do things.
And not so different from any traveler who's sold her house and stuff and taken off, comme moi, or a backpacker, or location-independent entrepreneur (including even that subspecies nomadic entrepreneur, the shudder-inducing"lifestyle designer" - never heard of it? just google it), or ESL teacher who relocates every year or two.
We all have the same budget items: lodging, food, entertainment, clothing, transportation, etc.
The difference is primarily in the amount of money we all have to work with. In the Martins' case, they've got $6000 per month (plus their Social Security).
If I were to add anything to the Martins' article in WSJ, I'd say reassuring things to all of the folks in the middle, the people of more modest means who aren't in the Martins' travel stratum, and are uninterested in the backpacker or just-above levels, but who really want to chuck it all and travel full time.
Western Europe is mind-numbingly expensive for a long-term traveler (not to mention the crush of humanity you'll be sharing it with), but there are wondrous alternatives in eastern Europe and the Caucasus, which are just as chockful of history and both manmade and natural beauty, and which are much gentler on the wallet.
There are less costly, but just as sensory-rich alternatives to most all of the big-ticket travel destinations. Check it out.
Just take a look at this sigh-worthy place on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala - $700 per month (sometimes less!).
The laborer on the cargo boat at the top of this post? He's seeing the same sights as the tourists - like me - enjoying pricy drinks at the restaurants along Dubai Creek.
"The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from
all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world.
Why? Because, like the author, there are lots of people who like to receive real mail. The
element of surprise of receiving postcards from different places in the
world (many of which you probably have never heard of) can turn your
mailbox into a box of surprises - and who wouldn't like that?"
The coolest idea!
Now that I'm back in a country where it doesn't cost a ransom to send a postcard (as it did in Caucasus Georgia), I've started sending weekly postcards from New Mexico to a couple of young family members in Missouri.
Wouldn't it be fun for a family young'n to get a postcard, seemingly out of the blue, from God knows where on the planet? So I signed up in Tim's name, and got the address for "his" first postcard recipient: A 19 year-old girl in St Petersburg, Russia! I've shipped off the first postcard from New Mexico. (BTW, it costs $1.05 to send a postcard from the U.S. overseas and there is actually a stamp in the $1.05 amount.) When she receives it, she'll enter a special code at the Postcrossing website (I wrote the code on the postcard, which Postcrossing had assigned to me), and then a random person will be assigned Tim's name and address to send a postcard to.
Another BTW ... there's another fun program called Bookcrossing. It's a formal program for what I like to do informally - release books to the wild.
I think there's a difference between a travel movie and a movie about living indefinitely in an exotic place that's different from your place of origin.
For example, The Daily Beast includes Out of Africa on its best-travel-movie list, but I view this movie as a story about a woman who lives in Africa, not about travel. Ditto for a movie like Slumdog Millionaire, a movie on several "top travel movie lists," but in which travel doesn't occur, unless we're talking travel between socio-economic strata. It just happens to be set somewhere other than the first world. On the other hand, I agree with its listing of Up, Raiders of the Last Ark, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Borat as travel movies.
So for what they're worth, following are some lists of best travel movies:
Budget Travel's 6 Most Inspiring Travel Films of the Year (2011), via NBC. I would have linked this straight to Budget Travel, but that site is riddled with in-your-face pop-ups.
Based on the above lists, I'm going to check out these two movies I haven't seen:
The Wind Journeys. The action is pretty interesting, but the diverse scenery in Colombia is other-worldly. Some day I will go to Colombia, all because of this movie.
So I was pretty intrigued about this program, sponsored by Toyota and Audubon, called Exit the Highway. Here's the idea:
Pledge to drive the scenic route and spend extra time in nature learning
about local conservation projects and heroes! You could win a new
Toyota Prius v with your pledge and gain extra entries when you share your photos from the road.
There are suggested itineraries - and Missouri has five of 'em! One of them, Wildcat Glades, I had never even heard of. It's in Joplin, and I've been thinking to stop there on my way to New Mexico anyway.
Highway 21, Missouri
It's timely for me to find this today - one of my Missouri cousins was just noting that he took the long way home yesterday; didn't have to get on Interstate 70 at all.
Highway 21, Missouri
I ran across the program while reading a Lonely Planet story of a couple stopping by White Sands National Monument outside of Alamogordo.
The deadline for the program is, um, today, but never mind ... the itineraries are worthwhile anyway.
In January 2010, my mother and I took the train to Kansas City,
Missouri. This is part 3 (and final part) of our trip report, which includes comments
from our original trip-report recipients.
We both loved the interior design of the Nelson-Atkins' Bloch
Building, with its clean lines and shadows and light play.
Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum, Rozelle Courtyard
We lunched at
the Rozelle Court which, although it is fully interior, creates
the effect of a Roman courtyard complete with central fountain and surrounding
arches on two levels. Skylights are above. Carol had a club sandwich and a cup
of chili; Mzuri had a trout cake salad. We shared a slice of key lime pie.
We agreed the museum's store is excellent. Here, too, I believe it surpasses
the Chicago art museum's store. Although smaller, it has many truly creative,
beautiful, interesting and affordable things. As I write this, I do
believe there was not a t-shirt for sale. If I were a tea drinker, I would have
snapped up an exquisitely simple tea set for two. Very clean lines, off-white
color, spare curves. Carol bought a reasonably-priced art book devoted to
Vermeer.
Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum
This week, we're enjoying Augusta Winery's vignoles, a spicy white wine.
In the evening, some relatives joined us. We all threw together wine,
beer, and carryout BBQ to make a merry get-together. There were a few sparks
that flew around the topics of Facebook and the merits of Republicans, but
other than that, it was convivial.
Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum
Carol participated in this gathering from a prone position on the bed, eyes
closed, with a quietly thoughtful expression on her face.
CAROL'S
REPORT
6 AM Winding down..our bags are packed....we're le-a-a-v-in. Last nights
guests were a treat but I was beat - they accepted my apologies and I took to
my bed and for a long time listened to the cacophony of four voices.
There was a short period when I thought I would need to rise up and separate a
few. Don't know the subject only the elevated voices - feminine, I
believe which is always off-putting for the peacemaker. That was a half a
sandwich by the way.
EMAIL RESPONSES TO
DAILY LOG:
Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum
FROM SHILO GIRL:
Glad you enjoyed
the Nelson-Atkins. I read an article in the Post Dispatch about the
museum and had been looking forward to seeing it. Pleasantly surprised
you preferred it to the Chicago Institute of Art. I was especially
interested in seeing the Native American exhibits.
Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum
FROM MZURI: The native american exhibit is smallish, but of the
greatest quality.
Am now home; looking forward to a nap later this
afternoon.
FROM SHILO GIRL: a nap sounds wonderful. if i were off i don't know
if i would nap but i sure would be relaxing!
In January 2010, my mother and I took the train to Kansas City, Missouri. This is part 1 of our trip report, which includes comments from our original trip-report recipients.
Kansas City, WWI Museum, in the trenches.
MZURI'S REPORT
Our train arrived at Kansas City's Union Station on Sunday afternoon. There'd been bit of a
snafu about the tickets, but we straightened all of this out when we arrived.
While at the Union Station, we had lunch at the Harvey HouseDiner, where I was accosted by a Monte Cristo sandwich (who knew?). Carol
had an always-reliable reuben. As to "who knew"? Carol evidently
knew, but as she'd also been assaulted by one in the past, I think she felt
secretly gleeful to witness another's demise. After I'd placed my order and the
server had left, she did ask coyly, "Have you ever had a Monte
Cristo?" Look it up. Shows the importance of clear writing;
specifically, where the word "fried" sits in the description.
We're staying at Residence Inn Downtown/Union Hill. Very pleasant, like a
studio apartment. Free shuttle service within five-mile radius. Free breakfast.
Free light dinner Mondays through Wednesdays.
Kansas City, WWI Museum, in the trenches.
Yesterday, Monday, we went to the Liberty
Memorial/WWI Museum. Very impressive museum. The trenches were especially
vivid due to the visual design and the audios of soldiers' descriptions of
their experiences in the trenches. There was a great movie that bridged the
European and American sections. The movie displayed on a corridor-length wall
that overlooked a battlefield diorama below. Exceptionally well-done. One
enters the museum proper by walking on a glass bridge that overlooks a
"field" of 9000 poppies.
Kansas City, WWI Museum. Glass walkway over field of poppies.
Carol's father, WWI soldier
[Note: The WWI Museum has particular interest for Carol, as her father fought in that war. He didn't like to talk about his experience there, but he made it clear the war was horrific.]
We enjoyed a quite respectable lunch at the Over There Cafe at the museum.
In late afternoon, a former colleague of mine came by for a visit. Carol joined
in for awhile, and then Donna and I went to The Brick , funkyish
little bar for its Monday-night Rural Grit Happy Hour. Rural Grit is a sort-of
open mic deal. Music is roots, americana, bluesy/jazzy, folksy whatever kind of
stuff. Some was great, some was ok, some interesting, and some godawful. Cool
vibe there, though.
Weather dreary, but as with Chicago, there is a vast difference between
vacationing in KC in dismal weather versus the Lake of the Ozarks. Vast.
[Note: A week-long stay at Lake of the Ozarks the previous year, during the winter, was deadly. Dead. Ly.Nothing to do except visit the outlet mall. In Chicago there's plenty to do regardless of weather.]
CAROL'S
REPORT
Accurately reported by Mzuri. While the experience has been enjoyable,
engrossing and educational I feel as if we have been here for about a
week which makes the trip very economical. The weather, even tho gray and
foggy, is mild and we walk from our second floor "suite" in the
fourth building to the reception room where breakfast buffet is set up and a
roaring fire and newspaper cheers us up as we enjoy the vittles. Kansas
City, Missouri, seems newer than St. Louis which, of course, is true...smaller
also. After touring the Steamboat Arabia today, we plan to find a tour
bus or city bus and see more of the city. The Residence Inn provides us
with shuttle service within a five-mile perimeter which makes it only a cell
phone call away at any time up to 9 PM. By the way, the National WW1
Museum was wonderful - one of a kind as far as scope is concerned.
EMAIL RESPONSES TO
DAILY LOG:
FROM SHILO GIRL:
LOL. I have
heard the Monte Cristo sandwich story before. And I believe Mom ordered
it twice. The second time to give it another chance. I think she
was enticed by the picture of the sandwich on the wall of the restaurant (in
the Ameristar complex). Humorous to hear, not so to have been the
recipient of the sandwich.
I can picture her
internally enjoying the whole deal with you, from order, to presentation, to
finally the first bite! What a hoot! She can be so sly.
Sounds like you
are experience some promising "must-sees" for a future trip for me!
FROM STORMY:
So very happy to
receive your "report". I was having withdrawal symptoms.
Happy travels
girls!
FROM JACK:
Enjoying the travelogue. I am uncertain about references to Lake Ozark
and Chicago. I know Chicago had a snowstorm while you were there. Sounded
cold and oppressive, but survivable apart from the bus drivers. How do
the three compare? Was Lake Ozark the worst or best under these
circumstances? Anyway, enjoying immensely. Carry on people.
Over here at Gutenberg.org, is a plethora of free books on travel to download. So it appears there are more free books for my Kindle than I originally thought.
You can get some cool travel stuff on your flights.
Based on the detritus I see when I debark planes, I think most passengers discount the post-flight usefulness of these items.
A caveat: Domestic flights in the U.S. are pretty Spartan when it comes to freebies. So this post is based mostly on international flights. But: Keep your eyes peeled on domestic flights as you pass through business and first class when you debark at your destination.
A number of airlines provide these free goodies on international flights, even for cattle class:
The amenity kit:
Lip balm
Sleep mask
Slipper socks
Ear plugs
Tiny toothbrush and toothpaste
A container to hold these items
In-flight meals:
Packaged crackers
Packaged cheese
Packaged jam or honey
Packaged moist towelette
Pretty-good quality paper napkins
In some airlines, free alcohol dispensed in cute little sealed bottles
Lip balm
I'm not a user myself, but many fellow travelers are addicted to the stuff. It's a nice item to give to someone.
Sleep mask
Generally, I don't need a sleep mask, but many people have a terrible time sleeping when there's the least sliver of light in their vicinity. So it makes a thoughtful small gift to a light sleeper.
For an ESL teacher, sleep masks are great tools for classroom games. For example, split a class into two or more teams. Each team has someone who wears the mask while the other team members direct him through a maze of obstacles using only English. The team who gets its masked member through the obstacle the fastest wins.
Slipper socks
Good to wear to bed in a cold climate, whether on your feet or your hands. Pitch 'em out when you want. Or continue to wash and wear.
Ear plugs
I've found that in some countries, people PLAY THEIR TELEVISIONS REALLY, REALLY LOUD! OR THEY TALK VERY LOUDLY! OR THERE'S CONSTRUCTION GOING ON NEXT DOOR! OR THE CALL TO PRAYER BY THE MUEZZIN IS RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW!
Ahhhh, so anyway, even these cheap ear plugs take the edge off the volume. They make the difference between painful and tolerable.
Collect all unopened packages of ear plugs you can find, left behind by fellow passengers. Keep one pair in your personal bag. Just a few weeks ago, I pulled a pair out of my purse when I found myself too close to the speakers during the international dance competition in Istanbul.
Until recently, Turkish Airlines put its comfort items into a nice, ivory-colored, leather-like zippered bag that was useful as a small toiletry bag. Now TA uses a flat metal container; don't know why.
Other potential uses for such bags:
Small toys or crayons for kiddos
Sewing kit
First-aid kit
Hand laundry kit (line, clothespins, universal plug)
A tidy place to pack a collapsible hat, lightweight scarves or bandanas
For one-night trips to hold underwear, socks
Pack a swimsuit
Packaged crackers, cheese, jams, etc.
If you've got a long layover for a second flight after you debark, you can save some serious money by conserving such items til you land.
Alcohol
Unless you've got to move through another security check to board a next flight, conserve a sealed bottle of your desired alcohol for:
A relaxing drink upon arrival at your destination; or
A sweet token gift to someone
Decent-quality paper napkins
If your destination is a developing country, then these will come in handy for toilet paper. Stash your extras into a snack-size ziplock bag you packed. (You did pack ziplock bags, didn't you?)
Debarking through business or first class
Take a look at what these passengers have left behind but not used, such as the ear plugs, socks, or whatever your favorite amenity is. Collect one or two on your way out.
Amenity kit reviews
Some folks take their amenity kits very seriously.
Snafu at the Ataturk Airport. Didn't get picked up as arranged, so took a taxi to Yeni Hotel, which agreed - without hesitation - to pay the difference between what the taxi charged me and what I would have paid the hotel. I liked that.
The taxi got lost on the way to the hotel, and I'm glad I gave him the phone number before we took off from the airport so he could call the place on occasion. Plus ask various bystanders.
I also liked that the hotel let me check into my room early. I enjoyed a cup of coffee in the hotel's cozy lounge while I waited.
And I liked that even before I got into said room, the mgt told me they'd be moving me to a different room for the rest of my stay, as there was construction going on outside my room. A new metro station.
Good wifi.
Yeni Hotel, Istanbul
Pleasant room, lots of light, although that's a mixed blessing in Istanbul's heat. A floor fan. Decent wardrobe and desk. Blinding white sheets and good bath towel. Good-quality sliders (shoes) for room and bath.
Yeni Hotel, Istanbul
Gigantic shower (the size of a room!) with good hot water, plenty of hooks. Toilet is fine. Sink is outside WC. In fact, the WC and sink were just outside my room, so it was almost like having them en suite.
The hotel/hostel - I get confused about which is it - is owned by two brothers and their two sons. The father-son pairs switch off day-to-day operations, each taking several-day shifts. The hotel is over 100 years old.
Yeni Hotel, Istanbul
There's a spiral staircase with marble steps that are worn in the center edges from so much foot traffic.
Headache
A dull headache plagued me all day. Bummer.
Money
Before I left Georgia, I contacted my financial institution to notify them I'd be in Turkey and asked that they check things on their end to make sure I wouldn't have any unhappy surprises on my end. I'd read that Turkey has an unfortunate reputation for bank card scams, and U.S. financial institutions get a little nervouse when they see transactions coming out of Turkey.
I went down to an ATM to get some money and damned if I didn't run into a problem. Fortunately, this ATM was just outside its bank, and I went inside and got help from a bank staffer. He made sure I used the machine on the right instead of the left, as apparently the one on the left really didn't like dispensing lira, preferring instead, euros or dollars. Also, it didn't want to give me the amount I requested, so I went for a lower amount. Communication, ATMs, communication, what, do you think we can read your minds when you've got a problem? Just telling me a transaction is not possible "at this time" is unhelpful. Sheesh.
I relieved myself of a hefty wad of Turkish lira for my three-week hotel stay, then after a nap to (hopefully, but unsuccessfully, rid myself of the headache), I ventured out again.
The hotel mgt had already proven itself to me, despite the airport pick-up issue, that it believed it important to keep guests happy, thus I felt relaxed about paying the full amount up front.
Venturing out
Often there's a pull between the "should" of doing something versus the desire to just be in a place. The benefit of being in a place for three weeks is that there's plenty of time for both.
I did go out and poke around. Walked down to the water. Walked through some narrow streets. Had lunch.
Istanbul bride and groom
I saw the same birds one sees in Georgia almost every day: a newly-married couple. In this case, it was a bride and groom at a gas station, and the bride was inserting herself and her immense dress into a small car.
Trams
So far, the biggest cool factor for me are the so-called modern trams. It's difficult for me to tell the difference between the funiculars (I find this word so annoying. Shouldn't this be the name for some sort of waffle cone, really?) and a train and a 'modern' tram, but whatever. The cool thing is they're riding on the street just like a train. On narrow streets. With two tracks, one for each way. With lots of people right, right, right next to them.
Istanbul from Red River Restaurant
Transportation song
Istanbul is a people-moving city. Trams, ferries, taxis, cars, buses, subways, trains, and feet. There are 13 million residents of Istanbul - given the number of tourists I've seen in what is the low season, that's a lot of DNA swirling about.
I wonder if in a million years there won't be a layer of mammalian slough-off, just as there's a layer of paleo-soil from way back. Skin, spit, and other bodily effluvia. We will one day be oil.
This video has the sights and sounds of Istanbul traffic.
I went down to the water - the Bosphorus - and watched the ferry traffic.
Istanbul, Bosphorus
Vendors sold roasted or boiled corn on the cob, roasted nuts, mussels, fish, and other sundries.
Istanbul, mussels and lemons
I had lunch at the Red River restaurant. Go figure.
Not bad. A cheese/basil wrap.
Istanbul
A shower
The shower. There's something about taking a shower in an immense room that is so luxurious. The feeling, not the room. Plenty of hot water. Nice.
