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smokingban posts

Five places to puff in Manhattan: Tips for Smokers

Five places to puff in Manhattan: Tips for SmokersMar 12th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Yes, I know. Every time I write something for the smokers out there, the comments always fill up with an argument over smoking itself. For now, I'm just going to assume that there are some people out there who happen to smoke and travel. I have this sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only one. So, for those of you who enjoy a puff on the road, here are five places where you can smoke in ...

Smoke if you got 'em: Washington DC to OK hotel smoking

Smoke if you got 'em: Washington DC to OK hotel smokingMar 7th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Non-smokers probably won't be too excited by the news, but cigar smokers will rejoice. The Washington DC City Council passed a measure last week that eases smoking restrictions on hotels in our nation's capital. The Special Event Exemption Emergency Act of 2010 carries an amendment that offers a way for hotels to be exempted from the city's smoking ban. If you prefer your hotels sans puffing, ...

Like to smoke? Rethink that holiday in Finland

Like to smoke? Rethink that holiday in FinlandJan 14th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Finland is attempting to become a smoke-free country. A new law will ban the display of tobacco products in shops by spring and ban smoking in cars if you have a minor in your vehicle. The Finnish government has made it plain that these are only the first steps to get rid of tobacco "once and for all," according to State Secretary Ilkka Oksala. Oksala says "we are not afraid" of the tobacco ...

World's fastest train delayed, perp gets away

World's fastest train delayed, perp gets awayJan 2nd, 2010 at 12:00PM: The world's fastest train may be able to top 200 miles per hour, but it can be stopped with a barrier not even three inches long. A rider who opted to disregard the rules lit up a cigarette on the train as it ran from Guangzhou to Wuhan in China, causing a delay of two and a half hours. To put the inconvenience in perspective, that's about how long it takes the train to complete its journey of ...

Budget and Avis ban smoking in rental cars

Budget and Avis ban smoking in rental carsSep 15th, 2009 at 3:30PM: tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/15/budget-and-avis-ban-smoking-in-rental-cars/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling'; First you couldn't smoke on planes. Then trains banned smoking. Now, you can't smoke in rental cars, at least, not if you rent from Avis or Budget. As of October 1, all cars in both rental companies' fleets will be non-smoking. Avis and Budget say the policy came ...

Ryanair: (don't) smoke if you got 'em!

Ryanair: (don't) smoke if you got 'em!Jul 30th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Ryanair isn't the first carrier to allow "smokeless" cigarettes on their planes. These devices mimic the sensation of puffing, I'm told by a user, with a water vapor that is released. What makes the announcement distinctly "Ryanair" is that the devices are now being sold on its flights. You can buy a pack of ten of these smokeless wonders for €6. To purchase the equivalent of a pack of cigs, ...

German airline to offer smoking, not non

German airline to offer smoking, not nonJul 16th, 2009 at 4:30PM: How did this one get by me? An all-smoking airline! Alexander Schoppmann is on the prowl for startup capital for an all-smoking airline. Once he gets the cash, he's going to lease two Boeing 747s and run a route from Dusseldorf to Tokyo. This doesn't do much for the few Americans who still prefer to light up, but if the Schoppmann can squeeze a profit out of this (which conventional airlines ...

Hotel du Vin smokin' consistency

Hotel du Vin smokin' consistencyJun 22nd, 2009 at 8:00AM: I had a great cigar-smoking at the Bothy at the Hotel du Vin in smoke-phobic Glasgow. Well, the Hotel du Vin in Cambridge, England, I was pleased to learn, offers the same environment! Behind the hotel is a small, covered, and heated outdoor smoking lounge where guests are invited to light up and relax. Its name, the "Cigar Shack," is only half accurate – fortunately, it's the first half. ...

Turkish smoking ban? Your survival plan

Turkish smoking ban? Your survival planApr 19th, 2009 at 1:00PM: I never thought I'd have to write about a smoking ban in Turkey. It just struck me as one of a handful of locations that would never extinguish the flame. But, on July 19, the impossible will come to pass. In part, it exists already. Since May of last year, smoking has not been permitted in Turkish taxes, malls, offices and ferries. Of course, the prohibition does not seem to have been taken ...

Smoking hurts on Saudi airline

Smoking hurts on Saudi airlineFeb 4th, 2009 at 2:00PM: For a smoker, nothing is more miserable than staring down a long flight without being able to light up. As if air travel isn't enough of a chore, various regulations and health nuts have taken away our preferred coping mechanism. A Sudanese man fought back ... and paid dearly. According to the Daily Mail, the passenger lit a cigarette on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight from Qurayyat to Jeddah. ...

10 travel related things you just don't see any more

10 travel related things you just don't see any moreJan 20th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Feeling nostalgic? I've compiled ten travel related things that are no longer around, including a couple of things that really brought back some memories of trips from the past. Read through the 10 things I could think of, and leave a comment with anything you no longer see when you travel. Smoking or Non Smoking? With the possible exception of a few smaller airlines, you won't find an airline in ...

Smoke and eat in New York - at the same time

Smoke and eat in New York - at the same timeJan 8th, 2009 at 5:00PM: There are two types of attraction in New York. The surface stuff – like a visit to the Empire State Building and a walk through Times Square – show up in just about every guidebook you can imagine. Dig a little deeper, and you'll find the array of experiences that appeal to both locals and visitors, the destinations and events that often escape notice. The cigar dinners at tobacconist ...

New state laws that affect travelers in 2009

New state laws that affect travelers in 2009Jan 4th, 2009 at 11:30AM: There are slew of new state laws that have gone into effect with the change to 2009. Here are some of the ones that I've culled from this CBS News/AP article that could impact travelers depending upon which state you head to for a vacation this year. In California, do not read-or-write text messages while you drive. It's now illegal. Heavens! Can you imagine someone texting on a freeway in ...

Europe struggles to stub out smoking

Europe struggles to stub out smokingJan 3rd, 2009 at 10:00AM: All across Europe, increasingly health-conscious governments have been banning smoking in public places like hospitals, train stations, bars and restaurants. Austria, one of the few remaining countries in Western Europe to not yet institute a ban, will be tightening their anti-smoking rules beginning in 2009. The halcyon days of carefree European smoking look to be a thing of the past, right? ...

Cruise line trends to look out for

Cruise line trends to look out forDec 22nd, 2008 at 5:30PM: There are some trends in the cruise industry that might make you pleased or disgruntled, depending on if the trends tip in your favor. Non-smokers may feel more pleased to find out that one growing trend is to restrict smoking to fewer and fewer places on a ship. Smokers, of course, may not be thrilled. Another trend is for bigger ships. Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas is the biggest of ...

Light up in Glasgow's Bothy

Light up in Glasgow's BothyDec 19th, 2008 at 10:00AM: You'll never find the "Bothy" on your own. Tucked away in the Hotel du Vin's courtyard, this hidden gem is Glasgow's only sheltered smoke spot. So, while the rest of Scotland endures wind and rain with each precious puff, you can stay dry and enjoy every draw. Oppressive may render smoking a chore, but the Bothy brings the pleasure back. Scotland's smoking laws make those in the United States seem ...

Bypass Boston's smoking ban with a drink in your hand

Bypass Boston's smoking ban with a drink in your handDec 15th, 2008 at 2:00PM: Dashing up the coast on business? In town to take in a game at Fenway Park? Business or pleasure, make sure you stop by Cigar Masters in the Back Bay. Boston's largest smoking lounge is supported by a large walk-in humidor and a bar with a full selection of imported beers and carefully chosen wines and ports. Attentive service will keep your glass full, and with ample comfortable seating, you'll ...

Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em: Asia's Best Airport Smoking Rooms

Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em: Asia's Best Airport Smoking RoomsSep 8th, 2008 at 2:00PM: Unlike the US, in some parts of the world smoking is still politically correct. It is even encouraged. For the nicotine addicts among us, there is no better time to light up than after a 10-15 hour flight across the Pacific. Stuck in the terminal waiting for your connection? No worries. That's what smoking rooms are for. Some resemble a bus stop shelter, some are more like a high class smoking ...

Which country smokes the most?

Which country smokes the most?May 12th, 2008 at 1:00PM: What would we do without The Economist and its great sidebars? This one shows just how much certain countries smoke. According to ERC, a market research company, the heaviest smokers come from Greece, with an average of 3,000 cigarettes per person in 2007. At 20 cigarettes per pack, that makes 150 packs in a year; a lot of puffing. Despite recent smoking bans in many places, European countries ...

Germans ignore smoking ban

Germans ignore smoking banJan 15th, 2008 at 2:00PM: Smoking bans in Europe, that continent that always seems to have a cigarette in hand, are becoming more and more frequent: Neil reported on Paris and Berlin cafés going smoke-free, Grant wrote about how the German smoking ban is spurning crafty workarounds, and I talked about angry Naples residents' response to their city smoking ban. But this is the first report I've seen of all-out ...

Gadling Features



EPISODE 5 OF TRAVEL TALK TV...
* features a Santa Cruz beach adventure;
* explains why Scottish money is no good;
* and shows how to cook brats the German way!

ASK A FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Q. What's the etiquette for switching to an open seat? Should I ask the flight attendant first?
A. Go for it! Switch seats, but be aware of the 3 reasons flight attendants won't allow you to switch seats in flight.


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