Tag Archives: Baja California

the IBIT Travel Digest 1.14.13

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The good, the bad and the bizarre in the world of travel

Southwest Airline Boeing 737

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 landing in San Diego | © Greg Gross

LOOKING ELSEWHERE, LOOKING HOMEWARD
Last weekend’s Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show in Long Beach was equal parts eye opener and reminder.

Japan, still pushing hard to rebuild its tourism after the earthquake/tsunami/radiation disaster of 2011, was the biggest country sponsor this year, with all kinds of intriguing offers, including one that never would’ve occurred to me — anime tourism.

Expect to hear more about that later on IBIT.

Turkey also had a major presence this year, as did Indonesia. Baja California destinations — from Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula’s southern tip to Tijuana, Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, Tecate and Mexicali, also were representing well, and that was good for this old Baja hand to see.

But the destination that reality hooked my attention this year was Malaysia.

How many of us ever seriously consider Malaysia as a place to visit? How many of even know where Malaysia is? Well, somebody knows, because it’s the tenth most popular tourism destination in the world.

And in this case, getting there might actually be half the fun. Its national air carrier, Malaysia Airlines, gets a five-star rating from Skytrax for its passenger service, one of only six airlines in the world to be rated that highly.

At the other end of the travel scale, and literally on the other side of the floor, there were a lot of exhibitors touting outdoor and adventure travel in places like California’s Sequoia country and Yosemite National Park. It reminded me that we have some world-class attractions right here at home that we too often take for granted.

IBIT says: Watch for more on all of this in the coming days.

DREAMLINER DIFFICULTIES
How’s this for a reality TV show: You’ve got this hot new jet, state of the art, but there are so many problems building it was three years late arriving. But now it’s finally here and flying all over the world and everything’s great and…

Wait, say what? Electrical fires? Fuel leaks?

Welcome to the very real world of Boeing and its new 787 Dreamliner.

The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering a safety review after those problems surfaced aboard Japan Air Lines 787s in recent days.

Such reports can’t help but make travelers nervous, especially those flying across oceans. However, this CNN report puts it all in perspective.

Bottom line: all new planes have teething problems. The Boeing 707 and 747 did back in the day, as do Airbus aircraft, most recently its A380 super-jumbo. When the problems arise, you jump on them, as the FAA is doing, fix them, keep an eye on them…and move on. We should do as well maintaining our cars.

Still, it does bear watching, which IBIT will be doing.

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TITANIC SAILS AGAIN?
Did you see the movie “Titanic” and come away wishing you could have sailed on that early 20th century luxury liner — minus the iceberg, of course?

Three years from now, you may get your chance.

The Associated Press is reporting that an Australian billionaire is planning to build a 21st century replica of the ill-fated vessel in a Chinese shipyard, combining old-school opulence with state-of-the-art construction, propulsion and navigation features that Capt. Edward John Smith could not have imagined back in 1912.

You can read the entire AP story, courtesy of USA Today, here.

The would-be builder hasn’t set a price tag for this project, but you know the old saying: “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

And this guy apparently can.

Even so, other attempts to create a Titanic 2.0 have never left the proverbial drawing boards. If all goes well, however, the new and improved Titanic will hit the water sometime in 2016.

This time, hopefully, the water won’t hit back with a large, angry block of floating ice.

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BOEING 737 — SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
For nearly haf a century, while bigger, faster, more imposing-looking airliners have grabbed headlines and captured the imaginations of travelers, the stubby, unassuming little Boeing 737, like the one above, has quietly established itself as world’s the most widely used airliner.

Every five seconds, two of them are taking off or landing somewhere on the planet. Not bad for an aircraft which began life as basically a cut-down version of the Boeing 707.

Over the decades, a steady steam of modifications have made them bigger and more sophisticated. Now, Boeing is planning to take their winged bus even further with yet another large-scale makeover. The result, called the Boeing 737 Max, should be ready for service by 2017.

To the layman’s eye, it’ll still look the same 737 that first flew in 1967. But in many ways, as USA Today reports, it will be a brand-new airplane.

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And now, here’s The Digest:

AIR
from Christopher Elliott
The merger between American Airlines and USAir seems all but official. What does it hold in store for the traveling consumer?

from the Los Angeles Times
What flight attendants really think of you. Everything you’ve always wanted to know…or maybe never wanted to know.

from the Washington Post
Jet lag is hard enough on a body in any direction, but it’s actually harder on you flying east than west. What to do about it.

LAND
from Smarter Travel via USA Today
Ten overrated tourist traps — and ten better alternatives. Agree or disagree?

from the New York Times
You’d think famed travel author Paul Theroux has been just about everywhere, but his wish list of destinations is still massively long — and many of them are right here in America.

WATER
from USA Today
The steamboats are back on the Mississippi River this summer, and the competition could be fierce.

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AFRICA
from The Mirror (London UK)
For a real off-road mountain bike adventure, with gorgeous views thrown in as an extra, consider South Africa’s Table Mountain above Cape Town. Just mind the puff adders.

from The New Times (Rwanda) via allAfrica.com
What a concept: Rwanda sets new rules enabling African nationals outside of East Africa to obtain visas on arrival in Rwanda. A big step forward for African regional travel, perhaps?

from the Namibian (Namibia) via allAfrica.com
one of Africa’s great rivers, the Okavango, and the struggle to save it from pollution.

from Bulawayo 24 via allAfrica.com
A new 5-star hotel opens on the shores of Lake Victoria, just in time for the August general assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization in Zimbabwe.

AMERICAS
from the Los Angeles Times
In the United States, bus travel is often disparaged by many. In Brazil, it’s the way to go.

from The Guardian (London UK)
If you really want to “cowboy up” for less than an American dude ranch, do it vaquero style on a working cattle ranch in Mexico.

from SFGate
Scottsdale, AZ is more than golf clubs and baseball spring training. Save some love for some seriously gorgeous desert.

from SFGate
California’s Monterey County, long known for its beautiful seashore and iconic jazz festival, has quietly become a heavyweight in another arena: wine. Could the Napa Valley natives be getting restless?

ASIA/PACIFIC
from the Washington Post
A traditional guesthouse in rural Japan, where the highlight is Italian food prepared by an Australian chef.

from the Daily Mail (London UK)
When the Iron Curtain fell for good in the early 1990s, a lot of historic, unspoiled and intriguing Central Asia opened up to the world as new nations. One of them is Uzbekistan.

EUROPE
from The Lookout via Yahoo
Birth of an island? What was nothing more than a sand bar ten years ago has now appeared as a fully formed 34-acres island off the coast of northern Germany.

from the Los Angeles Times
Now free to be creative, Russian chefs are putting a modernized touch on tradition Russian cuisine.

MEXICO: Liability insurance — get it or else!

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New Baja California law requires all resident motorists to have liability insurance. When visiting across the border, you need it, too. For real.

As of Jan. 1, Baja California state law requires drivers there to have liability insurance.

Such insurance has always been a requirement for foreign drivers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into Baja California (although more than a few take their chances and don’t bother purchasing it). Now it’s going to be a requirement for Baja residents, as well.

No doubt, there will be some griping about this among my southern neighbors, but really, this is a good thing. No one — local or foreigner — should be driving in Mexico without liability insurance.

Mexican liability insurance.

There are two reasons for this:

  1. Your U.S. auto insurance doesn’t count
    The liability provisions in your regular auto insurance policy are invalid in Mexico. If you’re found to be at fault in an accident and you have no Mexican insurance covering liability, you are in big trouble, because–

  2. You could go to jail
    Mexican law requires you to have liability insurance. It also gives police the right to hold both parties in an accident until they determine who’s liable. Having Mexican liability insurance could spare you a lot of expense and a heavy fine, not to mention some long and very uncomfortable hours in a Mexican city jail.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ME
One night several years ago, I ran into a rockslide on the toll road just north of Ensenada. A boulder sent my Ford Bronco II airborne for about 50 feet, smashing the length of the undercarriage as I went.

One of the heavy cast-aluminum exhaust manifolds was broken off. The front axle was snapped in half, leaving my front wheels in a “V.” Everything else underneath was either crushed or broken.

I called the Mexican insurance company. The adjuster said he could write off the Bronco II and give me a check for the loss, or have it repaired.

The payment would not have replaced the vehicle or paid it off, so I opted for repair. The shop estimate: $6,800, of which $800 was labor. The rest was all parts that had to be sent from the States.

It took weeks, but I eventually got my wheels back, good as new and without a dime out of my own pocket.

With liability insurance now being required for Baja residents and visitors alike, it stands to reason that local authorities will be a lot less tolerant of foreign drivers who get caught up in an accident without it.

This is especially true if you’re involved in an injury accident. Without liability coverage from a Mexican insurance company, police can refuse to let you leave the country until you provide proof that you can pay for damage if you’re the one found to be at fault.

Were you hurt, seriously injured? Do you urgently need medical attention back in the States? It doesn’t matter. The law says they can hold you, anyway — and if the crash was severe enough, there’s a good chance they will.

The good news is that liability insurance from reputable Mexican insurance firms is relatively cheap and easy to obtain. You’ll find Mexican insurance offices right at the border — on both sides, in fact — that can sell you a policy in a matter of minutes.

There are even drive-through insurance sellers. You hand them your driver’s license and vehicle registration, decide how much coverage you want and for how long. They hand you a neatly folded computer printout bearing your policy, along with a small folder with contact numbers and instruction on what to do in case of an accident.

Liability coverage in Mexico on average costs about $10-15 a day. For full coverage, which includes theft and damage to your wheels, add on an extra $5-6 daily.

The Web is full of horror stories of foreign drivers, usually Americans, who chose not to bother with Mexican auto insurance and then got into an accident. You don’t want to be one of them.

A view to remember

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In San Diego, the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery sits atop Point Loma, overlooking one of the most beautiful views anywhere — the city skyline and San Diego Bay to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Coronado and the Silver Strand curl gently like a giant hairpin across the bay from San Diego. On a clear day, you can look east to the Cuyamaca Mountains and south all the way to Mesa del Diablo, the Devil’s Table, deep into Baja California. Turn in the opposite directions and you get ocean sunsets to die for.

When you come to a place like this, however, you don’t take much notice of scenery. Your field of vision becomes a field of headstones, and you have eyes only for the names and particulars of those who lie here for eternity.

There’s a lot of history buried here.

Men from the Mexican-American War of 1847 and from Iraq — and every American conflict in between. Generals and admirals lie side-by-side with buck privates and able-bodied seamen; there is no pulling rank on this ground. Veterans of desperate sea battles off the Philippines and a boiler accident that blew up a gunboat within sight of this very cemetery.

Buffalo Soldiers and black sailors from World War 2 lie interspersed among their white counterparts, sharing in death the equality they never knew in life.

Men who died in savage battles or threw themselves on grenades to save their comrades lie next to men who never came within earshot of a battle and passed away peacefully in their aged sleep. Men enshrined forever as Medal of Honor winners share the same ground with others known but to God and those who loved them here on Earth.

Around here, it matters not whether they did what they were told was impossible, or simply did what they were told. The only thing that matters on this ground is that those who lie beneath put on on their country’s uniform…and they did.

Here, and in the other 130 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico, every day is Veterans Day.

But one thing that we the living should never forget is the date on which this special day falls. It marked the end of what many around the world had hoped would be “the war to end all wars.” Obviously, we’re not there yet.

The patriotic speeches, the star-spangled bumper stickers, the little American flags placed with care beside each headstone, are all, as Abraham Lincoln said, “fitting and proper.” But perhaps the best way to memorialize our veterans would be to work toward that day when all the world’s warriors can finally stand down in a world at peace.

Meanwhile, if it’s true that the souls of men live on after them, I hope the ones now resting in Point Loma enjoy the view.

Happy Birthday, Mexico

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It was 200 years ago today that a priest launched the battle for Mexican independence with the cry of “¡Viva Mexico!” These days, Mexico is battling negative images and stereotypes in a bid to get its tourism back on track.

Fewer Americans visit Mexico these days, some in fear of getting caught up in the country’s bloody battle against drug cartels, others to show their disapproval of illegal immigration.

Despite all of that, it remains the first truly foreign country that many Americans visit. It also has a sizable population of expatriates, mostly retired Americans. Whether as visitor or expat, their reasons for coming are as varied as they are.

They come for the lower cost of living. They come looking to jump-start their art, writing or photography in the mountain serenity of a place like San Miguel de Allende. They come for the hot beaches of places like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Islas Mujeres and Huatulco, or the diving in Bahia de los Angeles, or to get up the colonial flavor of Taxco, Guanajuato and Zacatecas.

Others come for the tropical, mountainous beauty of Oaxaca, or the all the happenings they can find in the urban mini-state that is Mexico City. They come for the pyramids at Teotihuacan or the Mayan ruins at Tulum. They come for the food, the culture, the nightlife, the wildlife. They come for the five-star resorts and for the chance to raise a tent and roll out a sleeping bag in a cove miles from anything.

Among visitors south of the border, the easiest way to start an argument is with this question: “What is the real Mexico?” The most honest answer is that there is no one Mexico, but many.

In its geography and its climate, the country seems to have a bit of almost everything — mountains, deserts, arid plains, jungles. Not two, but four long coastlines, once you throw in the Baja California peninsula. Much of Mexico is beautiful beyond description.

But for me, Mexico’s greatest attraction is her people, who are as diverse as the land they live in. In my time working there as a journalist, they taught me a lot.

They taught me Spanish (Actually, they’re still teaching me Spanish!). They taught me the importance of relationships, that good manners still matter, that no amount of difficulty in life prevents or exempts you from being kind. That in its best and truest form, friendship is nothing casual. It’s for real, and for life.

Warm, proud, creative, courageous, loving, utterly devoted to family. They know how to work. They know how to party. Facing obstacles and challenges that would wither the souls of others, they just smile, shrug, and keep on going.

This country has known a lot of hardship, a lot of hard times, in its 200 years. It still does. But these are people who persevere, and manage to smile — and make you feel welcome — while they do it. It’s but one of the things that makes them, and their country, worth getting to know.

¡Viva Mexico! indeed.

Images by David Poller. Check out more of his work HERE.

The Tijuana Jail

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The holding cells that served as a legendary hellhole for unlucky tourists may soon take on a new role — tourist attraction.

According to the newspapers in Baja California, the Tijuana municipal police headquarters known as La Ocho is finally being closed after 60 years in operation, at the end of this month.

To Tijuana residents and old gringo Baja hands alike, that news is likely to be met with a mix of chuckles and shouts of “good riddance!”

This also was the municipal jail, which would “host” generations of drunken sailors, wayward teenagers and tourists who simply crossed paths with a crooked muni cop looking for a bribe. It was where you would be held until you were brought before a judge — or until you paid up, whichever came first.

On this side of the border, La Ocho was immortalized by the Kingston Trio in their 1959 folk song “The Tijuana Jail:”

“So here we are, in the Tia-juana Jail.
Ain’t got no friends to go our bail.
So here we’ll stay, ’cause we can’t pay.
Just send our mail to the Tia-juana Jail.”

The song made the place sound like a joke. The reality, as indicated by the Baja California newspaper El Norte, was anything but:

“Known as La Ocho for being located on Eighth Street, it was the place where citizens and foreigners alike knew the rigors of corruption and confinement for infractions as light as traffic violations…Through this headquarters passed hundreds of people who had the misfortune to face its justice and injustice, from dangerous hitmen to juvenile offenders or gang members known in the 1950s as ‘pachucos.’ ”

Back in the 1970s, enterprising merchants in San Diego were hawking T-shirts that read: “I survived Tijuana Jail.” For most of its history, enduring La Ocho and its dank, fetid conditions could be considered a minor achievement.

Tijuana mayor Jorge Ramos told El Norte that the old police complex would be converted into a cultural and historical center, but offered no details.

THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT
Tijuana muni police were long infamous for bribery and extortion. They called it “la mordida,” the bite — and they wouldn’t hesitate to put the bite on you.

This is what happens when you make less in a month as a cop than what a teenager at Mickey D’s makes in a week.

Back in the day one Saturday afternoon, four of us were at an intersection in downtown TJ when a muni cop standing on the corner waved at me to turn left, pull up to him and stop.

“Good afternoon, señor,” he said in his courteous English. “I’m going to give you a ticket.”

“What for?”

“For making an illegal left turn!”

Ignoring for the moment that I never would’ve turned in the first place had he not told me to, I asked him what made the turn illegal. He couldn’t tell me, but insisted that it was. He took my driver’s license and asked a bunch of questions — where was I from, who was in the car. Typical cop stuff.

Then, incredibly, he let me go. To this day, I still don’t know why. Instead, he sent me off with a smile, and a warning:

“Now remember, Señor Gross: In Mexico, the rules are the same…but different!”

— Greg Gross

the SUNDAY TRAVEL DIGEST

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A roundup of the good, bad and bizarre from the world’s best travel media

Headlines and hype to the contrary, Mexico is still a good travel destination. You just need to be picky about where you go.

Knowing that I used to cover the U.S.-Mexico border as a journalist, more than one person has asked me if I’d feel safe returning to places like Tijuana, and my answer is always “no” — but not for the reason they expect.

They expect to hear about blood-curdling murders and wild shootouts between soldiers and hired gunmen, all a part of Mexico’s ongoing drug war. But with the capture of certain high-profile drug dons in the region, there’s an awful lot less of that in TJ and the rest of Baja California these days. As a result, the region’s tourism sector is gradually coming back to life.

No, the thing that keeps me away from Tijuana’s terrific restaurants, long beaches and bangin’ nightlife is the same thing I used to suffer when I worked down there — those horrendous long lines at the border.

After spending all day and/or half the night playing gringo tourist, who wants to spend an hour or more — sometimes much more — sitting in their car or standing in line, waiting to go through customs and immigrations checks, inhaling exhaust fumes in the bargain?

Tijuana. Otay Mesa. Tecate. Mexicali. It doesn’t matter. Wherever you cross, virtually whenever you cross, it’s the same nightmare.

But if you’re willing to go a little farther — to the beach resort cities like Los Cabos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, or further south to Oaxaca, you can still have a great trip, and you won’t have to deal with that craziness when you fly back to the United States.

Yes, you may have to stand in line for a little bit to clear immigrations and customs, but believe me, it’s not nearly as bad.

Even Mexico City could be a great trip, especially if you’re interested in Mexican art, culture and history. Sept. 16, Mexico’s independence day, is coming up, and there celebrations being planned that visitors might really enjoy. I’ll have more on that later this week.

And now, here’s this week’s Digest:

from Smarter Travel
Ever wonder what it might be like to spend a night in a towering lighthouse, with ocean waves crashing on the rocks below you, the way real lighthouse did &msash; before automation took over the planet? Here are ten lighthouses that will fulfill your fantasy.

from Smarter Travel
It’s not just airline fees raising the cost of flying. Governments at all levels treat airports as cash cows, with multiple taxes and fees. ST’s Ed Perkins tells you how to avoid the worst offenders.

AFRICA
from Google News via Agence France Presse
If the rest of the Mother Continent wants to ride the wave created by South Africa’s tourism success with this year’s FIFA World Cup, they’ll have to do something about flying in and around the rest of Africa. In the 21st century, it’s still a hot mess.

AMERICAS
from the New York Times
A weekend in Montreal may be the cheapest way to get a great taste — literally — of life in French-speaking Canada.

ASIA
from Yahoo! via Associated Press
In India, the historic and ultra-plush Taj Mahal Hotel, heavily damaged in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, reopens. How plush? One room in the heritage wing: $625 a night.

EUROPE
from the New York Times
Went a little overboard last night on the coquille St. Jacques in that Paris resto? Afraid that chocolate mousse is going to migrate to your waistline? How about a quick 12-mile skate around the City of Light — just you and a few thousand of your new closest friends? Yeah, you can do that.

from the Guardian (London, UK)
Big Ben, the London Eye and the Tower of London too tame and routine for your visit to the United Kingdom? How about a day in stunt school? See jolly Olde England — while being flipped backward over the hood of a speeding car. Cheerio!

Slum tourism: The Other Side of the Lens

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The subject of slum tourism has at least one thing in common with the crushing, appalling poverty that the slum tourists pay to gawk at.

Neither is going away.

The latest to weigh in on this subject, courtesy of the New York Times, is Kennedy Odede, executive director of the Shining Hope for Communities organization in Nairobi, Kenya.

Like many before him, he rips the whole notion of other people’s poverty as a tourist attraction. But unlike sanctimonious pontificators like me, Mr. Odede comes at this from a unique perspective.

He’s has actually served, reluctantly, as one of the “attractions:”

”I was 16 when I first saw a slum tour. I was outside my 100-square-foot house washing dishes, looking at the utensils with longing because I hadn’t eaten in two days. Suddenly a white woman was taking my picture. I felt like a tiger in a cage. Before I could say anything, she had moved on.”

Read the entire text of Mr. Odede’s opinion piece here.

There are some of us, born to a life of paved streets, flush toilets, indoor water taps and electricity, who seem to think that human dignity depends on how much money you make. It doesn’t.

At the same time, I have witnessed the other side of Mr. Odede’s humiliating coin, namely the indifference of tourists from developed countries to the tragically horrid living conditions of their fellow human beings. And I’ve seen it right here in San Diego.

Long before Mexico’s drug violence prompted gringo tourists to stay away, there were hordes of San Diego-area residents who wouldn’t dream of setting foot across the border in Baja California, particularly in the city of Tijuana.

Why? Because they couldn’t stand to see all that grim, soul-crushing poverty staring down on them from the hills above. How do I know? Because they said so — always freely, often unprompted and many, many times.

I get no joy out of witnessing anyone’s poverty, either. But somehow, that attitude struck me as indifference of the ugliest sort, as if their living conditions made the people living in those hills a lesser form of humanity.

Mr. Odede’s message about slum tourism — or “poorism,” as it’s sometimes called — is painful, powerful and on-point. But like poorism itself, it falls short of what is needed.

Coming away from scenes like those in Tijuana, Mumbai or Kibera can leave even the best-intended person feeling utterly overwhelmed — to the point of paralysis. I have no doubt that there are at least some slum tourists of genuine goodwill, but those who are willing to act on what they see they need a venue, encouragement and proper guidance on how to do it.

One thing that might help would be if more such tourists could connect with the people whose communities they’re touring, talk to them — or better still, listen to them — before they start snapping pics or shooting video. First, form that human bond.

Few such tours make that possible. That being the case, what realistically can we expect from even the most well-meaning slum tourist?

I should probably make it clear that I don’t have a dog in this fight. I don’t operate a slum tour anywhere on the planet and would never want to. Still, I can’t help but feel that both sides can, and ultimately must, do better.

If it is not enough for the slum tourist to feel he’s “done his bit” by paying to see someone else’s poverty, neither is it enough to condemn the slum tourist without giving him a viable means to help change the image he’s just seen.

Where poorism is concerned, those on both sides of the lens need to “come correct.”

To see what we’ve done on this subject before, click here.

The SUNDAY TRAVEL DIGEST

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A round-up of the good, the bad and the bizarre from some of the world’s best travel media

“By Invitation Only”
Everybody wants to feel like an insider, right? Occupy that space on the A-list, be one of the “in” crowd? Well, that “I’m in and you’re not” spirit has come to travel in the form of invitation-only travel sites on the Web.

Most of these seem to be devoted to upscale hotels or resorts, like Tablet or Jetsetter, which describes itself as “a private online community that provides members with insider access, expert knowledge, and exclusive deals on the world’s greatest vacations.”

Others, like Rue La La, are invitation-only shopping sites that simply make travel a part of their offering.

A key element in nearly all of these sites are “flash sales.” These are deep discounts, especially on upscale hotels, made available for a fixed — and usually very short — time for site members who are prepared to purchase, travel or both on the spur of the moment.

The keys to being able to take advantage of a flash sale are being flexible in your travel planning — and staying ready to pounce on a really good deal. If we’re talking about international travel, it also means having a valid passport already in hand, and a destination country in mind that won’t make you wait days or weeks for a visa.

Some of these sites are little more than thinly camouflaged sales vehicles for their parent companies.

Take Vacationist, for instance. It’s joint venture between a site called LuxuryLink and Travel+Leisure magazine, two websites devotee to high-end travel, especially hotels and resorts. Join Luxury Link or subscribe to the magazine, and you’re practically a member of Vacationist already.

And that’s before you find out that both LuxuryLink and Travel + Leisure are owned by American Express. Something tells me that if I were paying to keep one of those little greed credit cards in my wallet, I’d already have carte blanche to join Vacationist.

Indeed, just send in your email address to nearly any of these sites, and more often than not, you’ll find your “invitation” forthcoming pretty quickly. Britain’s VoyagePrive, discreetly puts a link to a membership application at the bottom of their home page.

What this means is that the exclusivity of invitation-only travel sites is largely an illusion, a blatant appeal to our vanity. Let’s face it, if they were all that exclusive, they probably wouldn’t be in business very long.

And now, here’s this week’s travel digest. Enjoy. Dream. Save. Pack.

from the New York Times
They’re at it again: the airlines are now toying with ways to charge you extra for a seat. How much is your comfort worth? LEARN MORE

AFRICA
from the Miami Herald
Getting to Africa from the West Coast just got a little easier — and maybe a wee bit cheaper. JetBlue is partnering up with South African Airways. More info from JetBlue.

from the Dallas Morning News
A look at ultra-plush African resorts at opposite ends of the Mother Continent. Think all African travel is about roughing it in the bush on wildlifre safaris? Think again!
AMERICAS
from the Los Angeles Times
My old friend Christ Reynolds introduces you to an extremely cool-looking resort in an extremely hot place at the tip of the Baja California peninsula.

ASIA/PACIFIC
from USA Today
Having shown that it can stage an Olympics with enough flash and panache to shock the world, can this year’s Shanghai Expo clear the very high bar they’ve now set for themselves?

from The Telegraph (London, UK)
China may be the world capital of spectaculars these days, but as far as cheap accommodations, spectacular scenery and great food are concerned, the buzz in the budget travel world these days increasingly is coming out of China’s vibrant, upbeat neighbor to the south — Vietnam. Here’s one take on that.

EUROPE

from The Times (London, UK)
Britain is the travel destination where Americans find out how Mexicans feel when they visit the United States; the currency exchange rate definitely goes against us. Even in the pricey United Kingdom, though, you can find high-end hotels for less than $150 a night. Here are ten.

from The Times (London, UK)
His there another family that enjoys hanging out with yours? If you all make good traveling companions, you can cut your vacation costs — and treat yourself royally — by sharing a villa in Europe.

from the Chicago Tribune
Go to France. Have a blast. Learn to cook.

The working man's cruise

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Ferries were created as basic transportation for water-bound communities, but they can offer a great experience — and great value — to the traveler.

When it comes to cruising, January is a hot month. Snowbound Americans start thinking about sunny holiday cruises, while the cruise industry touts the arrival of new, bigger and better ships.

According to the folks at CruiseCritic, no fewer than 15 new vessels are expected to hit the waves in 2010.

This time, though, I want to bring up one of the more overlooked aspects of water travel, but one that can offer a traveler some serious value.

I’m talking here about ferry travel.

When many of us think of ferries, we see something small, slow, ungainly-looking, a barge to get you and/or your car from one side of the river or bay to the other, and not much else. Strictly utilitarian. The working man’s (or woman’s) cruise. A floating city bus, with seats to match. And you’d be right.

You’d also be wrong.

Many of the world’s ferries — and at last count, there were more than 240 ferry lines around the world — ply sea routes covering hundreds of miles. Increasingly, they are state-of-the-art vessels, some of the fastest and most technologically advanced in the world.

The larger ones often come with cabins, restaurants and shopping arcades that surpass those found on cruise ships only one generation back. In fact, you may have a hard time distinguishing some of them from cruise ships — until their bow opens up and the cars, trucks and buses start pouring out.

In many parts of the world, ferries often take you to interesting, picturesque destinations that can only be reached by water. They also may take you deep into a country’s heartland without the need to resort to planes, trains and automobiles.

At the same time, even on some of the big seagoing ferries, fares can be comparable to or cheaper than what you’d pay on a cruise ship to visit the same places.

The fringe benefit — some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth.

I found that out in British Columbia, on a ferry crossing the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver to Victoria.

Prior to this, my ferry experience had been limited to crossing the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans to the suburb of Algiers, and later the old bay ferry between Oakland and San Francisco. Both those runs, lasting only minutes, were delightful to a child, but neither of them prepared me for that crossing in British Columbia.

Blue Pacific waters stretched to a horizon dotted with craggy islands of every size, virtually all of them mantled with thick pine forests that covered them almost to the water’s edge.

Back then, bald eagles were an endangered species in the United States. If you saw one at all, it was usually on a TV commercial, or a postage stamp. Now, up here off western Canada, you could see them perched on tree limbs in two’s, three’s and half-dozens. And when they stretched out their wings to soar overhead, your spirit soared with them. It was magical.

But it’s only the smallest taste of what you can see from a ferry.

Norwegian fjords. Whitewashed Italian and Aegean cliffside villages. Thousands of tropical islands. Go from a coastal desert of Baja California to coastal jungle on the Mexican mainland in one hop.

My friend, former colleague and fellow blogger Anna Cearley recently did just that, and you can read about her experience here.

Ferries can give you all of that, and without leaving you stuck on a cruise ship for a week or more. For some folks, a day or two on the water is enough.

So if you’re planning to spend some time on an overseas trip that’s going to take you to multiple destinations, consider the ferry as a more relaxing and scenic option for traveling between points.

And while you do, consider another of those fringe benefits: You can quietly gloat over the fact that most of your fellow passengers are commuting…while you’re vacationing.

Whoever thought a bus could be so much fun!

WARNING
Ocean-going ferries are generally quite safe, but seagoing ferries in the developing world demand extra precautions. Some ferry lines dangerously overload their vessels. Others have been known to sail in bad weather, usually packed with locals anxious to get home.

In recent years, the “capsized ferry tragedy in the Philippines” has become almost an annual event.

Being relatively high vessels with shallow draft, ferries are not the best boats to ride out turbulent seas. So if the forecast along your route looks ugly, consider delaying your sailing until the storm passes. And always try to schedule your passage when the ferry is less packed. You’ll embark and debark a lot quicker, and with fewer safety concerns.