Category: Opinion
Armchair travels for trying times.
There are bear markets and then there are polar-bears-are-so-desperate-they're-resorting-to-cannibalism markets. And writing a travel blog during one of the latter is a challenge.At this time, it's unclear whether anyone can really afford to go anywhere. And chances are, those who can aren't turning to a blog, for advice.
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Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) $19.28 promo bombs.
LHW learned the hard way today that if the spirit is willing, the technology better not be weak.As we said in our post on Sunday, LHW was offering a limited number of rooms on a first-come, first-served basis for just $19.28. Those who wanted to participate were instructed to pre-register at an LHW microsite and then revisit the web site on October 1 at 8AM ET.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to predict that the huge amount of traffic pouring in simultaneously would crash their server - which it did.
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Greek Isles versus Elgin Marbles? No contest.
We had a lovely time in the British Isles. We saw some amazing art, went to some great pubs, met some friendly people, and brought home some beautiful examples of the British arts and crafts movement.All in all, it was a nice trip.
Which is the trouble. Because our last five or six trips have been spectacular. And this one merely nice -- and expensive.
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Carry-on Bags that aren't.
When we went to Great Britain recently, we decided that we didn't want to check our bags. So we limited ourselves to our American carry-on sized bags -- one Calvin Klein and one Swiss Army. Both bags are 22" x 9" x 14". They expand, but like good little soldiers, we kept them all zipped up.Before heading out, we checked the British Airways website, which says that you can carry on bags that are 22" x 17.5" x 9.85" -- not exactly the same size, but technically bigger than the American allowance.
To save time, we checked in online, and then headed to British Airways check-in to have our documents verified before going through security. We queued up and were promptly directed to the line for people wishing to check baggage. "No, no," we said. "We're carrying on our bags." "Not those bags," was the reply.
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Cruising tips for non-cruisers -- Part 2.
A couple of weeks ago, we posted the first in a series of tips designed to help independent travelers enjoy cruising. European 
cruises are such a good deal this year, even hardened non-cruisers might want to reconsider.
Our first tip was to get away from the hoards by renting a car. You can read that post at http://www.tripaddiction.com/blog/post.cfm/cruise-tips-for-people-who-dont-like-cruising.
Tip number two is to book a cruise that goes to less frequently visited ports. These off-the-beaten-path destinations are usually more intimate and easier for independent travelers to explore on their own.
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