Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Travel professionals: stop going the extra mile]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/06/travel-professionals-stop-going-the-extra-mile/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/06/travel-professionals-stop-going-the-extra-mile/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/06/travel-professionals-stop-going-the-extra-mile/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It sounds counterintuitive, right? Normally, customers expect that extra effort, and we complain constantly that we don't get it enough. What we sometimes don't understand, though, is that the extra effort is at the root of many of the customer service problems we encounter. Going the extra mile at the wrong time can be a disaster.

I remember a case presented at a conference I attended back in 1999 (yeah, it made an impression), when I was a consultant in the hotel industry. Some customer service guru was teaching us how to better serve our clients - which was pretty important, since our clients, the hotels, were in the service business. She discussed with us a bank teller who spent extra time with a customer - going that extra mile" - even though there was a long line waiting. The guru couldn't summon enough praise for this teller. Even though everybody else was waiting, this teller put forth more than was necessary to make a customer happy.

Almost as soon as the story was over, people in different parts of the audience barked almost in unison, "What about everyone else?" The service aficionado spent several minutes ducking and dodging as a growing number of attendees hurled the lines of "I'd be pissed," "That's not good service!" and "Do you really believe that stuff?" She eventually recovered and finished her session, but the discussion at the bar that night was all about whether to please the one at the expense of the many.

Continue reading Travel professionals: stop going the extra mile

Travel professionals: stop going the extra mile originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airportcustomer satisfactioncustomer servicecustomersCustomerSatisfactionCustomerServicehotel industryHotelIndustrypassengerpassengersretailretailersserviceFri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Are the economics of Twitter airfares worth it?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/04/are-the-economics-of-twitter-airfares-worth-it/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/04/are-the-economics-of-twitter-airfares-worth-it/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/04/are-the-economics-of-twitter-airfares-worth-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

More and more budget-travel tipsters are pointing towards Twitter, Facebook and social media outlets as the source for wild cheap airfares these days. And it's true, in a way. By subscribing to the pundit feeds online it's possible to get the inside scoop on a few good routes, often saving a few shekels on a future itinerary.

Broad, dirt cheap fares (sometimes called bingos), however, are harder to pin down. You've probably heard about the one guy who got a $7 airfare to Iceland or the other woman who flew to Buenos Aires for $40. These (mistake) fares usually occur two or three times a year and more often than not, last less than 24 hours. Yet these are the tickets that fuel the pundit followers.

Now, with the proliferation of active Twitterers, Flyertalk and Slickdeals, bingo fares are becoming harder and harder to find. Rick Seaney (@rickseaney) is a great example. The CEO of Farecompare has access to a broad spectrum of ticket data before it gets sent to travel agents like Orbitz and Expedia and as such, has a virtual crystal-ball into airfares that are going to soon be available. Great position to Tweet from, right? But can't the airlines follow the same feed? Could they perhaps pay Mr. Seaney to find mistakes before we do? It's not unlikely.

Continue reading Are the economics of Twitter airfares worth it?

Are the economics of Twitter airfares worth it? originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airfareairplanebudget-travelcheap ticketsCheapTicketstwitterWed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Poll: Have you ever passed up the cheapest airfare to avoid a bad airline?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/03/have-you-ever-passed-up-the-cheapest-airfare-to-avoid-a-bad-airl/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/03/have-you-ever-passed-up-the-cheapest-airfare-to-avoid-a-bad-airl/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/03/have-you-ever-passed-up-the-cheapest-airfare-to-avoid-a-bad-airl/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

People love to complain about the dismal state of air travel these days. Whether it's the stomach-churning airline food (and there's so little of it!), the complete lack of leg room, or the fact that your luggage was for some reason routed through Honolulu, we've come to expect some pretty poor service from quite a few airlines these days.

In any other industry, customers register their indignation by refusing to spend money at the offending establishment. Found a finger in your Caesar's Salad? You're probably never visiting that restaurant again. Tired of your cable cutting out in the middle of House? You just might cancel that company's service and call up their competitor (who'll probably even throw in a year of Starz at no extra charge!)

But with airlines, we're like the pathetic girlfriend who's been cheated on five times but still believes her boyfriend when he says, "Seriously, this time will be different! I've changed!" The worst airlines stay in business because by and large people are willing to put up with crummy service if it means they get a cheap flight.

Continue reading Poll: Have you ever passed up the cheapest airfare to avoid a bad airline?

Poll: Have you ever passed up the cheapest airfare to avoid a bad airline? originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air travelairlinesAirTravelTue, 03 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free press travel: necessary ... and certainly not an evil]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/23/free-press-travel-necessary-and-certainly-not-an-evil/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/23/free-press-travel-necessary-and-certainly-not-an-evil/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/23/free-press-travel-necessary-and-certainly-not-an-evil/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The blogosphere has been heating up over the issue of ethics and "swag." There's plenty of free stuff flowing through the media industry. At Gadling, obviously, the big one is travel, but gadgets, books, liquor, cigars and other products are often supplied for use in writing a story. The Federal Trade Commission has made what was a debate into a legal issue by requiring disclosure by bloggers when they receive these freebies (Gadling already requires this, so no changes will be necessary here). The issue is not only contentious, but it's emerging unevenly. In the end, it's the readers who will be impacted.

The FTC rule requires disclosure only by bloggers - traditional media outlets will not be affected, despite the fact that they receive plenty of swag ... and that we (the bloggers) learned it from them. If the goal is to help the consumer make an informed decision, this rule will only "help" blog readers and leave consumers of traditional media exposed.

Beyond the question of fairness, though, there's a greater issue: practicality. Especially in the travel space, the trips and gear provided by hotels, restaurants, manufacturers and their publicists is a vital part of how we can provide more than mere reblogs of "man pukes on a plane." Original travel content comes at a cost. Travel writers need to be out on the road to be effective, and even 12 months of discount travel can add up quickly. For readers interested in luxury and upscale experiences (and there are many here and at Luxist, where I also write), it would be impossible for impoverished bloggers to deliver first-hand accounts of these destinations.

It can be tough to understand the role that comp'ed travel can play in an operation such as Gadlings - or that of any other publication that covers travel. So, to help clarify the issues involved, here are 10 factors that help make sponsored press trips effective.

Continue reading Free press travel: necessary ... and certainly not an evil

Free press travel: necessary ... and certainly not an evil originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogbloggingblogosphereblogsfederal trade commissionFederalTradeCommissionftcpress releasepress releasespress tripPressReleasePressReleasesPressTrippublic relationspublicistpublicistsPublicRelationsswagtraveltravel industrytravel writerstravel writingTravelIndustryTravelWritersTravelWritingFri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Responsible Travel changes their mind]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/16/responsible-travel-changes-their-mind/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/16/responsible-travel-changes-their-mind/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/16/responsible-travel-changes-their-mind/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For the children, folks.ResponsibleTravel.com, a website known for providing eco-friendly vacation options, has changed their mind about something important. Especially after all our climate change talk yesterday (Blog Action Day), with the topic fresh in our minds, let's talk about carbon offsets.

A recent report by Friends of the Earth states:
"Carbon offsets distract tourists from the need to reduce their emissions. They create a 'medieval pardon' for us to carry on behaving in the same way (or worse)."

Interesting point. So interesting, that Responsible Travel has removed the carbon offset widget from their site. The company has offered travelers the option of calculating their trip's carbon footprint since 2002, so as to enable them to offset the environmental cost -- but no more.

According to Responsible Travel's Justin Francis:
"We believe that the travel industry's priority must be to reduce carbon emissions, rather than to offset. Too often offsets are being used by the tourism industry in developed countries to justify growth plans on the basis that money will be donated to projects in developing countries. Global reduction targets will not be met this way."

So, there's some food for thought. We certainly don't want to make anyone feel guilty for traveling, and if you're going to travel, carbon offsets aren't a bad thing, but keep in mind that you can make smart choices that will reduce your emissions. Responsible Travel can help.

Responsible Travel changes their mind originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbon offsetsCarbonOffsetsclimate changeClimateChangeeco-friendlyfriends-of-the-earthresponsible-travelFri, 16 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bio jet-fuel: fact or fiction?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/bio-jet-fuel-fact-or-fiction/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/bio-jet-fuel-fact-or-fiction/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/bio-jet-fuel-fact-or-fiction/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The new trend among all sorts of green energies is in bio-fuels, those combustible fluids made from renewable sources such as switch grass, corn or soybeans. They're all over the place in the automotive industry, millions of cars burning E38, offering flex fuel options and touting their eco consciousness.

It should only follow that the airline industry jumped on the wagon.

But how valid is the concept of using bio-fuels to power an aircraft? From the combustion standpoint, the science is there, and several airlines have already proved that bio-fuels can be used for propulsion. Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand and JAL have all operated international flights with partially loaded eco-fuels, while stateside, Continental has also shown positive results in one of their Boeing 737 aircraft.

Could this all just be part of the marketing eco trend though? ANZ's 747 on which they performed their bio fuel test was scrapped last year after sitting on the idle tarmac, and ever since the main media hump earlier this year, jet bio fuel tests have been pretty mum. The fact of the matter is, irrespective of the source or processing, eco fuel just isn't as efficient as anything from fossil sources. And when it comes to the bottom line, we all know that the airlines love to be frugal.

Asked about the current market's readiness towards bio fuel, out source inside of the production industry was cautious, saying " ... there are some unsubstantiated claims out there and things like stunts with test flights do not have anything to do with the readiness of the fuel on a production basis for air travel."

Take that for what it's worth, but it sounds like eco-fuels have a long way to go before entering the mainstream air travel industry.

Bio jet-fuel: fact or fiction? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aircraftairplanebio-fuelethanolfuelgasjet fueljetfuelThu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the turtle.]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/bury-the-turtle/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/bury-the-turtle/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/bury-the-turtle/#commentsFiled under: ,

A Fairmont Kea Lani Turtle TagAt the Fairmont Kea Lani, the gift shop is stocked with some very eco-friendly fare. To make it easy for guests to see which items are greenest, they tag the items with turtle tags like this one.

Yeah, yeah, a special tag. Whatever. Right? Actually, it's more special than you might think. The turtles are made from biodegradable fiber and actually embedded with forget-me-not seeds. You can plant this turtle inside or outside, the paper will biodegrade, and you'll have your very own pretty, blue, Fairmont forget-me-not flowers. That's not only a very creative way to encourage eco-conscious shopping, it's a great way to have a reminder of your vacation -- or, you know, forget-it-not. (Sorry.)

The Fairmont Kea Lani has a number of environmental initiatives you can read about here, including motion sensors that control the air conditioning and the Recycling Cents program which allows charities to cash in their bottles and cans. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a turtle to bury.

Bury the turtle. originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fairmontgreenhawaiikea lanimauiThu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World Monuments Fund announces list of endangered treasures]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/14/world-monuments-fund-announces-list-of-endangered-treasures/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/14/world-monuments-fund-announces-list-of-endangered-treasures/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/14/world-monuments-fund-announces-list-of-endangered-treasures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The World Monuments Fund, a private organization battling to preserve the world's great man-made wonders, has published a list of the most endangered monuments around the world.

It's a depressing litany of priceless places that are under threat from a variety of factors, mostly related to human greed.

Some monuments are fantastic, such as the mountaintop monasteries of Phajoding in Bhutan, where centuries of peace and solitude are being disturbed by an increasing number of trekkers seeking peace and solitude.

Others are more mundane places that you might not even notice, yet they're important artifacts of history, like the farm fields of Hadley, Massachusetts. When the Puritans first settled here in 1659 they replicated the system of open, narrow fields that they knew from England. The field system still exists today, but this legacy of America's early settlers has now been rezoned for commercial and residential buildings, including a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

My own adopted country of Spain has seven entries to the list. The old medieval town of Avila (pictured here) is facing increasing pressure from new building, while Gaudí's famous cathedral in Barcelona is threatened by the construction of a high-speed railroad right next to it. That a rich, moderately-sized country should have so many entries should come as no surprise to Spanish residents. "Developers" have been ruining the Spanish landscape for years, fueling a building boom that crashed last year and flung the country into a deep recession. The most glaring example of the rapacity of the Spanish real estate market is the coastline, where a ring of apartments, homes, and hotels encircle the country like a garrote. Some of this construction is illegal, but campaigners have had only limited success in stopping it.

The list has been published every two years since 1996 in order to bring attention to cultural heritage sites that are threatened by natural or man-made factors, although the bulk of them are man-made. Many of the sites that make it onto the list get sizable donations from the World Monuments Fund to help their caretakers preserve them.

Best of luck guys, given constantly expanding urban areas and a rising population, you'll need it.

Gallery: World Monuments Fund 2010 Endangered List

Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada FamíliaHistoric town of HeratFortified Church at ViscriThe Jesuit Missions of the ChiquitosOld building in Shikarpoor, Pakistan

World Monuments Fund announces list of endangered treasures originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archaeologyarcheologyAvilaBarcelonabuddhismmassachusettsmonasteriesmonasterymonumentspreservationworld heritageworld heritage listworld heritage siteworld heritage sitesWorldHeritageWorldHeritageListWorldHeritageSiteWorldHeritageSitesWed, 14 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Should a medical exam be required before a major trek?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/30/should-physicals-be-requiried-before-long-treks/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/30/should-physicals-be-requiried-before-long-treks/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/30/should-physicals-be-requiried-before-long-treks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Physicians and politicians in Australia are calling for mandatory physicals for any trekkers preparing to hike the Kokoda Track according to Aussie newspaper The Age. The Kokoda is a difficult and remote trail in Papua New Guinea, which has claimed the lives of three hikers this year alone. The track runs 60 miles in length through a region where the Australian military fought a pitched battle with the Japanese during WWII, and it has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years.

The latest person to die on the Kokoda was a 38 year old man named Paul Bradfield who was hiking the trail as part of a fund raising effort for a children's charity. Before the hike he was believed to have been in good health and spent weeks training for trip. The exact cause of his death is still unknown, but it is believed that he suffered a heart attack while hiking. The other two people to die on the trail this year were also quite young as well. One was a 26 year old man, and the other a 36 year old woman.

This story brings up an interesting debate. Should a physical be required before embarking on any major trek? At what point does a government begin enforcing such requirements and how exactly do they do so? At the moment, Australia has no requirements of the trekking companies that operate on the Kokoda, but they are developing a "code of conduct" for those hiking the trail, and are now strongly considering the requirement of a medical check as well.

Continue reading Should a medical exam be required before a major trek?

Should a medical exam be required before a major trek? originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelclimbinghealthhikingkilimanjarokokoda trackKokodaTrackmedical checkupmedical checkupsMedicalCheckupMedicalCheckupsmt. kilimanjaroMt.KilimanjarotrekkerstrekkingWed, 30 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[San Francisco airport wants to sell you carbon offset credits]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/18/san-francisco-airport-wants-to-sell-you-carbon-offset-credits/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/18/san-francisco-airport-wants-to-sell-you-carbon-offset-credits/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/18/san-francisco-airport-wants-to-sell-you-carbon-offset-credits/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As of yesterday, passengers departing from San Francisco international airport can purchase carbon offset credits before taking their flight. The credits are called "Climate Passport", and they can be bought from electronic kiosks located throughout the airport.

Each ton of carbon offsets costs $13.50, and a typical transcontinental flight spits out about 1.9 tons. Offsetting that will cost you just under $25. Of course, that number is for the total amount per flight, so if more than one passenger on a flight pays for the offsets, the flight will theoretically be carbon negative.

The money gets split - $12.00 goes towards the Garcia River Forest project, and $1.50 goes to the city of San Francisco to support local carbon reduction projects.

The kiosks cost $190,000 to install, and to me that seems like a heck of a lot of money for something that is going to be a pretty hard sell. On paper the project looks great - it allows passengers to help the environment without having to give up much more than a little of their cash, but in reality I really don't see many passengers participating - though I'd like to be proven wrong.

You can learn more about the program, and how the collected money is spent, at the Climate Passport web site.


View Poll

San Francisco airport wants to sell you carbon offset credits originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carboncarbon dioxidecarbon emissionscarbon footprintcarbon neutralcarbon offsetsCarbonDioxideCarbonEmissionsCarbonFootprintCarbonNeutralCarbonOffsetssan franciscoSanFranciscoFri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The best from the weird and wacky world of tourist complaints]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/17/the-best-from-the-weird-and-wacky-world-of-tourist-complaints/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/17/the-best-from-the-weird-and-wacky-world-of-tourist-complaints/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/17/the-best-from-the-weird-and-wacky-world-of-tourist-complaints/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



We tourists are a curious bunch - apparently, by paying for our trip, some of us feel we are entitled to absolute perfection. In this lineup, we've listed several of the most insane lawsuits taken to court by tourists.

Have you ever encountered something so ridiculous on a trip, that you had to take your case to court?

View Poll

Continue reading The best from the weird and wacky world of tourist complaints

The best from the weird and wacky world of tourist complaints originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beachhotellawsuitlawsuit settlementlawsuitsLawsuitSettlementpoolThu, 17 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Airports say no to sexy Pamela Anderson PETA commercial]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/10/airports-say-no-to-sexy-pamela-anderson-peta-commercial/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/10/airports-say-no-to-sexy-pamela-anderson-peta-commercial/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/10/airports-say-no-to-sexy-pamela-anderson-peta-commercial/#commentsFiled under: ,


'Cruelty Doesn't Fly'-Learn More at PETA.org.

PETA - the organization that fights for animal rights, is in the news again. This time, it is because one of their commercials has been banned from airport TV's.

The animal rights fighters created a TV spot featuring Pamela Anderson, with the purpose of trying to convince people not to wear animal products. Their message is that "Cruelty doesn't fly", and that wearing skins, fur, leather or wool is not OK.

I can understand their objections to fur or exotic skins, but wool? Seriously? As is usually the case with PETA, they paint a pretty gruesome picture of how animals are treated.

According to PETA, they had planned to run the ad on CNN airport edition, but were told that it was "too racy" - watch the video above, and let us know in the comments whether you think it is appropriate to be played on airport TV's.

Continue reading Airports say no to sexy Pamela Anderson PETA commercial

Airports say no to sexy Pamela Anderson PETA commercial originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pamela andersonPamelaAndersonpetaThu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Voluntourism in Costa Rica doesn't have to be expensive]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/02/voluntourism-in-costa-rica-doesn-t-have-to-be-expesnive/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/02/voluntourism-in-costa-rica-doesn-t-have-to-be-expesnive/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/02/voluntourism-in-costa-rica-doesn-t-have-to-be-expesnive/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tropical Adventures is making it pretty easy for travelers to save the world. The company's new Cultural Encounter Package offers a six-night/seven-day package at a steep discount of 45 percent. The first two nights are at the historic Hotel Don Carlos, with the other four in the Bamboo Cultural Center's rustic accommodations in the Talmanaca Indigenous Region. The package includes all meals and some snacks, as well as upgraded transfers to all locations.

Once in Costa Rica, you can take advantage of volunteering opportunities at an elementary school, retirement home and indigenous cultural center. Also, a five-hour local farm tour is available, where you'll get the chance to see exotic and unusual frogs, birds and butterflies, among other animals.

Based on double-occupancy, the trip costs $899, and the package is good through the last day of February next year.

Voluntourism in Costa Rica doesn't have to be expensive originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>costa ricaCostaRicavolunteervolunteer vacationvolunteeringvolunteersVolunteerVacationvoluntourismWed, 02 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bowermaster's Adventures -- Kamchatka v. Kodiak, What a Difference 225 Years Makes]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/01/bowermasters-adventures-kamchatka-v-kodiak-what-a-differen/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/01/bowermasters-adventures-kamchatka-v-kodiak-what-a-differen/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/01/bowermasters-adventures-kamchatka-v-kodiak-what-a-differen/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,



We sailed into Kodiak on a somewhat rarified day for this part of the world, one filled with sunshine rather than rain. The weekend just past had been its annual Crab Fest, an event dampened by typical summer weather: horizontal rain and temperatures just above freezing. But on a big, blue, sun-shiny day you'd be hard-pressed to imagine a more beautiful place, the entirety of Kodiak Island and the snowcapped mountains that rim it wrapped beneath an indigo blue sky.

Ironically, the place it reminded me of most of was Kamchatka, where we'd been a week before. Both are spectacular lands of active volcanoes and hot, spurting geysers. The seas that surround both are the same steel-blue, the volcanic mountain ranges similarly tall and foreboding, with fishing boats moving in and out of the bays. Both regions share physical turmoil as well as beauty, visited frequently by earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami waves. Rain is a constant for both (Kamchatka, 110 inches a year, Kodiak, 68).

Though separated by one thousand miles of Bering Sea they started out with similar human roots as well. The very first Russian colony in North America was founded in 1784 at Three Saints Bay on southeastern Kodiak Island and until 1804 it was the center of Russian activity in Alaska. Russians are responsible for the name "Alaska," derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed."

Gallery: Kamchatka

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures -- Kamchatka v. Kodiak, What a Difference 225 Years Makes

Bowermaster's Adventures -- Kamchatka v. Kodiak, What a Difference 225 Years Makes originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelalaskabowermastersadventuresjbajon bowermasterJonBowermasterkamchatkakodiakrussiaTue, 01 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More power for the government to search your laptop at the border]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/27/more-power-for-the-government-to-search-your-laptop-at-the-bord/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/27/more-power-for-the-government-to-search-your-laptop-at-the-bord/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/27/more-power-for-the-government-to-search-your-laptop-at-the-bord/#commentsFiled under: ,

For years, border protection agents have been permitted to inspect and/or seize your laptop, smartphone or other data storage device.

Under new legislation introduced today, those rules grant even more power, while trying to give the appearance of increased privacy for the owner of the data.

Previously, it didn't really matter what you had on your computer - anything was allowed to be inspected. This obviously meant that legal documents, medical records and even classified business documents could be inspected, without you being allowed to do anything about it.

With these new rules, border agents can search all the "business documents" they want, but need to contact their own counsel when they encounter legal or other sensitive files.

One other new addition to the rules is that agents are now allowed to inspect the contents of your computer when you arrive and when you leave the country.

What this means to the common traveler? Well, unless you are carrying child porn or anything else illegal, you have nothing to worry about.

Continue reading More power for the government to search your laptop at the border

More power for the government to search your laptop at the border originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bordershomeland securityhomeland security committeeHomelandSecurityHomelandSecurityCommitteeThu, 27 Aug 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bowermaster's Adventures -- Russia's nuclear legacy]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/24/bowermasters-adventures-russias-nuclear-legacy/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/24/bowermasters-adventures-russias-nuclear-legacy/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/24/bowermasters-adventures-russias-nuclear-legacy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Just around the corner from Petropavlovsk, ten miles by land or sea, located across Avachinskaya Bay on a small peninsula called Krasheninnikova sits Russia's largest nuclear submarine base. It is off limits to outsiders and a shell of what it was during the Soviet Union's heyday. Today - judging by a simple Google map search - there are just a half-dozen active nuclear subs sitting at its docks. Worrying to those who pay attention to such things are the shadows on the far edge of the docks on the same map, indicating somewhere between a dozen and twenty subs piled up next to each other. They are said to be at varying degrees of decommissioning.

For decades the submarine station and a couple nearby support bases provided good jobs for locals and drew many Russians and Ukrainians to live in this easternmost outpost. They are also the reason that until the end of the Cold War Kamchatka was off-limits to the rest of the world. Even today, twenty years later, Russia continues to maintain a heavy military presence here.

The operation of nuclear-powered submarines generates considerable amounts of nuclear waste. Liquid and solid radioactive wastes need to be removed from submarines and stored. In addition, periodically the submarine needs to be refueled, thus spent fuel needs to be removed from the submarine and also stored. Decommissioning a nuclear submarine generates these streams of waste and in addition, the refueled reactor compartment must be dealt with.

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures -- Russia's nuclear legacy

Bowermaster's Adventures -- Russia's nuclear legacy originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelbowermasterbowermastersadventuresjbajon bowermasterJonBowermasterkamchatkanuclearnuclear submarinesNuclearSubmarinesrussiaMon, 24 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Should travelers boycott Arizona because of gun laws? Frommer leans towards yes]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/should-travelers-boycott-arizona-because-of-gun-laws-frommer-le/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/should-travelers-boycott-arizona-because-of-gun-laws-frommer-le/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/should-travelers-boycott-arizona-because-of-gun-laws-frommer-le/#commentsFiled under: ,

Arthur Frommer, longtime travel book guru, posed a question about Arizona's "open carry" gun laws. In Arizona, Frommer found out, people can bring loaded guns to political rallies. That's what happened in Phoenix earlier this week when some of the protesters, who showed up outside the convention center where Barack Obama was speaking, visibly wielded guns--including an assault rifle. Such action is legal in Arizona, something Frommer feels alarmed by.

In Arthur Frommer ONLINE yesterday, he wonders if travelers ought to boycott Arizona in protest of such open carry laws since he thinks a gun law that allows people to bring loaded firearms to political protests violates citizens' safety. He doesn't want to travel to such places. As he wrote, if a gun had gone off, mayhem could have happened.

It's not that Frommer objects to guns--or at least he doesn't say if he does or doesn't. He thinks there's a problem when a person carrying a gun in public does so in a way that puts people in danger.

Last year, I expressed my concern about guns being allowed into US national parks for similar reasons. Of course, others have a different opinion and some expressed those in the comment section. Some comments pointed out issues I that hadn't thought of. Some state roads and US highways, for example, pass through national parks. If a person is carrying a gun in his or her car and happens to be traveling on such a road, he or she would be in violation of a gun carrying law if guns were not allowed in a national park.

Still, there's Frommer's point that if people are allowed to have their guns with them as a means of intimidation, and other people are traveling through such spots, doesn't that put people not involved in jeopardy? I seem to remember from US history classes that even when the west was wilder there were some places where people who were carrying guns had to leave them outside a town or saloon. Or, maybe that's just the Hollywood version.

Continue reading Should travelers boycott Arizona because of gun laws? Frommer leans towards yes

Should travelers boycott Arizona because of gun laws? Frommer leans towards yes originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArizonaArthur FrommerArthurFrommergun controlGunControlnational parksNationalParksopen carry lawsOpenCarryLawsPhoenixThu, 20 Aug 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Thought you'd heard the last of Clear? Think again!]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/thought-youd-heard-the-last-of-clear-think-again/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/thought-youd-heard-the-last-of-clear-think-again/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/thought-youd-heard-the-last-of-clear-think-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Clear, the bankrupt airport service that let travelers speed through the checkpoint, abruptly closed up shop last month.

The company had burned through all its cash, so within a matter of hours, the entire service was gone, and customers were left with a useless membership, to a bankrupt service.

Almost 260,000 people were also left without any way to get their money back, as Clear made it very clear (pardon the pun) that they wouldn't be handing out any refunds.

Thousands of customers signed up and renewed each week, and even people that paid for the service the same day Clear shut down, were out of their money, and had to resort to credit card chargebacks.

Now, even though Clear is gone, they are working behind the scenes to make things worse. A court ordered the company to refrain from selling the customer information collected from the service.

It isn't entirely clear why they wanted to sell the data, but it is very troubling that a company with very strict privacy rules would even consider violating their own membership agreement. Their database contains everything from names, birth dates, social security numbers, and numerous biometric entries.

Last month, Verified Identity Pass (the company that created Clear) issued the following statement:

"Personal information is safe - all airport kiosks have been wiped clean, and Lockheed Martin (the IT provider for Clear) has started wiping all the databases containing Clear customer data. No customer data will ever be sold, and once the cleaning process is done, there will be no traces of personal information left."

Now that they are in court making a case for being allowed to sell personal data, obviously means they were lying when they wrote that statement.

Another development is even more troubling - I have been hearing from Clear members that they are receiving phone calls from Clear employees, asking whether they'd be interested in signing up for the service should it start up again.

It is obvious that something is going on behind the scenes - either a buyer was found for the entire service, or a new company is planning to start from scratch, picking up the pieces left behind. Whether they'll be able to do this with the membership database maintained by Clear will be up to the courts.

Thought you'd heard the last of Clear? Think again! originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clearverified identity passVerifiedIdentityPassThu, 20 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help ]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/sustainble-farming-program-in-uganda-offers-hope-and-help/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/sustainble-farming-program-in-uganda-offers-hope-and-help/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/sustainble-farming-program-in-uganda-offers-hope-and-help/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in Uganda is well-known throughout the world as the home for nearly half of the world's population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. However, gorillas are no longer the only entity on Uganda's endangered list. Bwindi's local people have also felt the brunt of years of illegal logging and other activities which have slowly degraded the area.

Fortunately, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was established as a national park in 1991, and was initially designed to protect both its treasured gorillas along with its precious and deteriorating forestland, and as of today, the program has been a great success. Yet, while the park itself has benefited from a surge in tourism (thousands of visitors pass through the park every year on pricey gorilla treks), Bwindi locals have not been able to reap much financial benefit from the increased tourism, which in turn, has caused considerable conflict amongst the community.

Much of this socioeconomic dichotomy has been contributed to revenue loss due to the procurement of food products designed for local lodges and restaurants coming from outside the area (as far as a ten hour drive away). Considering the most common livelihood for locals is subsistence farming, and that the area's soil is extremely fertile, developing a farmer's association where locals could gain cash income by supplying fruits, vegetables and other products to a growing tourism industry seemed a natural solution.

Thus, the Bwindi Advanced Market Grower's Association (AMAGARA, which means 'life", in the local language Rukiga) was born, and it has been evolving ever since.

Continue reading Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help

Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>africacooking classesCookingClassesfarmingfoodgorillagreengreentravelmonthhikingsustainableugandaTue, 18 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Don't be "that" tourist - things to avoid when you are abroad]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/dont-be-that-tourist-things-to-avoid-when-you-are-abroad/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/dont-be-that-tourist-things-to-avoid-when-you-are-abroad/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/dont-be-that-tourist-things-to-avoid-when-you-are-abroad/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We all make mistakes - but when you are heading abroad, little mistakes could mean the difference between being a prepared tourist, or a pompous jackass.

It isn't too hard to look like a well traveled jetsetter, and it only takes a couple of common sense measures.

After the jump, you'll find a list of things (I think) you should avoid if you plan to go abroad. Some of the items are quite logical, others may be things you'd normally overlook.

Feel free to add your own "don't do's" in the comments at the end of the article.

Continue reading Don't be "that" tourist - things to avoid when you are abroad

Don't be "that" tourist - things to avoid when you are abroad originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanny packFannyPackstupiditytourismtouristTue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST