The rest of Q&A

Q – You go all over the internet and find all kinds of advice about travel to Africa and it all sounds like so much noise. Yesterday, my therapist, yes I am being serious, told me about your site. I hope you will answer just a few questions. My wife and I are in our early fifties, I work in manufacturing, we’re in good health, and we don’t want to wait until I am retired to start seeing and doing things that take some effort. Our questions are – which tour operators in Africa are really the best, which ones should we avoid, and what month is the best time to see the “Big Five”.  How do we begin the process and what will a travel agent charge us to assist?

A – We’d need to know a lot more to make really specific recommendations but let’s do the best we can:

Don’t even think about going on safari unless you are booking with one of the following established, highly respected, feet/offices on the ground firms:

Micato Safaris  –  Abercrombie & Kent  –  &Beyond  –  Africa Adventure Company  – Austin-Lehman Adventures  –  Grey & Company  –  Wilderness Safaris –  African Travel Inc. – Big Five Tours 

We would recommend you avoid any firm not on this list although there could be exceptions based on your specific interests.

The best time to go depends on your interest in terms of seeing East Africa or Southern Africa. The “season” for a safari is quite extensive but many travelers go during our summer months. But this is a discussion that occurs after you select the very best program for your “safari expectations”. 

The process starts with a “No Sales Pitch” discussion with a professional travel consultant. The rule of thumb should be that there are no charges of any kind when you are booking an established, brochure departure. If your agent is creating a custom safari especially for you, fees hover in the $500-$1000 Per Person range. 

We hope this helps and good on you for planning Africa while you are physically able to handle the adventure. 

Q – We try to keep up with travel industry publications and have been surprised by the failure of Thomas Cook and the reported financial issues with Cox & Kings, which is, I believe, the oldest travel agency in existence. You keep hearing that travel agents are being put out of business by the internet. We’ve just started a new relationship with a new local travel agency and I suppose we’re wondering how we might know about their financial solvency. How do we know our money is safe? Is it appropriate to ask for financials? 

A – Several broad questions here. Let’s start by saying that Thomas Cook and Cox & Kings are not travel agents. They would be designated as tour operators. Cook was involved in charter flights, group tours, charters, and worldwide group packages. It is a risky business involving payments of huge amounts of money upfront. For example, two of the major tour operators specializing in travel to China declared they were closing their doors last week in anticipation of a complete decline in potential tour groups to Asia.

After the last financial crisis in 2008/2009 it is estimated that 40% of the travel agents in the United States were put out of business. The vast majority were selling inexpensive package travel that was easily replicated by OTA’s, (Online Travel Agencies). 

Since that time, the income of travel agents has risen and there is now a serious shortage of qualified vacation agents, particularly those that cater to upscale overseas travel. Tour Operators take a much larger financial risk than travel agents who simply act, for the most part, as intermediaries in the booking of other people’s products. They are the distribution channel for the tour operator. 

We certainly think that a discussion of the financial stability of any company you work with is appropriate although asking for a written accounting statement might be a tad much. You will get the best accounting service which is  Available via infinit accounting. It is good to know if any funds paid to a travel agent are kept in escrow until the time you travel. Here are four questions you should ask any travel agent with whom you are considering a relationship:

01 – How do I know that you are placing my interests ahead of those of your agency’s financial interests?

02 – What won’t you sell – and why?

03 – Have you worked within the travel industry before becoming a travel agent and in what capacity?

04 – Will you be wearing a bathrobe when I speak to you on the phone?

Q – I recently returned from a trip to London where I noticed that instead of saying I was flying in economy it said I was flying in Q Class. Then I looked carefully, and my connecting ticket home had an N instead of a Q. Anyway you can explain these letters the airlines use and what they really mean. 

A – Airlines use codes so their gate agents and flight attendants will know exactly what kind of ticket you are flying. Special compensation offers might be made to certain code holders. Thet might indicate what kind of changes you are allowed to make on a ticket or how a refund is to be handled. These are known as “Fare Codes” or “Fare Basis”. It allows the gate agent to know exactly what kind of flyer you are and whether or not you should be considered for an upgrade. So they are fairly important yet most flyers have no idea of their meaning. Obviously, it will vary a bit from airline to airline but here is a short guide to the airline’s secret lingo – used primarily to identify you as a full-fare or discount flyer Fares codes are also used to determine how many miles and points you will be awarded on a flight. 

Y – Full Fare Economy Guest

L,M,N,Q,T,T,V and X – Various levels of Discount Fare usually in order restrictions.

J,C – Refer to Full-Fare Business Class Guests

F – Is a non-restricted Full=fare First Class Guest

If you are flying a multi-segment ticket and you have more than one fare code, most airlines will enforce the most stringent rules that apply to anyone of your segment codes. They do that because they are so customer-service oriented and because they have almost zero appreciation of your loyalty or business. 

Q –  I have been flying for the past two decades, mostly to larger metropolitan areas. I have noticed that some pilots, particularly those with Delta, seem to make harsher landings while American pilots seem to glide in more softly. I wonder why this is and also wonder about any of the larger airports where you have to come in fast and hard for safety reasons. Any light you can shed on this would be appreciated. Don’t mean to denigrate Delta in any way – I actually prefer the airline to any of their competitors and am a very frequent flyer. 

A – So you think maybe Delta pilots are trained to make hard landings while American pilots are taught to be more laid back on landing and to do it “ever so softly”. You didn’t mention what you do for a living – we’re hoping you’re not a clinical psychologist.

Pilots are generally told what landing speed to maintain. It has absolutely nothing to do with the brand or the pilots who work for that brand. Instead, you will find that it has a lot more to do with the length of the specific runway where you are landing. Some of the most notoriously short runways in the US are found at Midway in Chicago, John Wayne in southern California, and Washington D.C.’s Reagan International. Long, slower, softer landings are not recommended on shorter runways because they tend to use up too much “pavement” something pilots are loathe to do. So next time you encounter a “rough” landing it may mean that your pilot is being extra cautious. If you are flying DL or AA you are in the hands of some of the best qualified worldwide.  

Just to relax you on your next flight, let’s take a quick look below at “The World’s Most Dangerous Airport”, Lukla in eastern Nepal. 

Lukla and the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, 2881m elevation, Everest Base Camp Trekking Route, Nepal Lukla is the starting point for most trecks to Mount Everest Base Camp. Tenzing-Hillary airport has a single runway that is 460m by 20m with a 12% gradient. Aircraft can only use runway 06 for landings and runway 24 for takeoffs. Due to the terrain, there is no prospect of a successful go-around on short final. There is high terrain immediately after the northern end of the runway and a steeply angled drop, of about 2000m at the southern end of the runway, into the valley below.
The airport is rated as the most dangerous in the world.

Q – Our 16-year old son will be joining us on our annual summer break vacation. We’re fairly well-traveled and when we asked him where he really wanted to go, he responded that he would love to visit “somewhere that will help me see and understand the effects of climate change on the planet.” That’s a tough order so we thought we would seek your input. We have a fairly open budget but would like to keep the total trip under $60,000. We are all fit and active travelers and hiking does not put us off at all. 

A – We think you should consider the world’s largest island which happens to be covered in ice over 80% of its surface. Given that, no country on earth is more instructive regarding the effects of climate change than Greenland. Consider hiking a bit of the 100-mile Arctic Circle Trail. Go and book a tour with san diego whale watching and the magnificent Eqi Glacier via boat with a naturalist.  If your dates are flexible, try to time your trip with the June 21st celebration of Greenland’s National Day. It will add a sense of place to your travels. You may want to add a few days in Iceland but we think that Greenland is the destination best suited for your goals. We all wish your son the best of luck. 

Q – Set with a two-week tour of southern Africa that begins in Cape Town and ends in Johannesburg. This mid-August vacation includes two nights in Victoria Falls where I am reading the water has completely dried up and the Falls are no more. We are working with a local safari operator based in Johannesburg and wondering if they will eliminate the Victoria Falls. We found them on the internet and they seem to have hundreds of “likes” so we’re trusting them to do the right thing. What options might be available if we decide to skip the Falls at this point? We are paid in full. 

A – There is a growing pattern of weather affecting Victoria Falls that is quite complicated but boils down to the fact that October-November rainfalls are way down in tandem with serious heat issues and daily averages approaching 96 degrees. You should be fine in mid-summer although you will see evidence of decreased rains, drought, and the effects they are having on the majesty of the “Falls”. 

We have no idea why you would have paid in full for a trip not scheduled for six months. It does not sound like you have any advocacy built-in – as you are working directly with a group operator. But most troubling of all is your failing score on our “Travel Naivete” Index. You were impressed by hundreds of “likes”? 

“Likes” online do not require any sort of mental capacity – just some sort of forefinger. And if that doesn’t work, “Likes” can be easily purchased – in bulk. 

Try to find out if your tour operator is accredited by any of the major US travel consortium groups. If not, see if you can secure any recommendations from past clients in your area. It is likely that your trip to Vic Falls is scheduled at the end of your journey just prior to your departure for Johannesburg and your flight home. Have your tour operator give you two options to replace the nights at the Falls if you are determined to skip them (not what we would advise)

Do feel free to call the tourist boards in New York for additional information about the company you are using and their recommended itinerary modifications.

Finally, make certain that the travel agent commission is being refunded to you in the pricing as you are not using an agent’s services.  

Q – We are fascinated by your point about the relationship about travel articles and the fact that the vast majority of writers are describing their own “free or nearly free” trips. No wonder we can’t really depend on travel reporting any more than we can believe what is written on a number of other subjects. But travel writing seems uniquely tainted and unreliable since it is based on first-person experiences. Would you agree? Also wondering if you might provide a list of those newspapers and magazines that have a policy of not accepting free travel for their travel writers. 

A – We would agree. The travel consumer is usually reading words served up as payback for comp. travel. But no one seems to mind so the practice continues.

There is no official list but the publications that currently do not accept free travel for writers include, as you might expect, The New York Times, as well as the Associated Press and USA Today. Unfortunately, that’s about it.

Q – Have spent portions of the last three nights reading your Q&A. Really enjoyable and love the information. Here is our brief story: I am retiring in six months and, with the death of my folks earlier this year, have come into enough money that will enable us to do some serious traveling in the years ahead. I have one big question. We’re fairly normal travelers, been to Europe twice, once on a cruise, once on a tour. We’ve done a lot int he States and we spent two weeks in Mexico. But now we are looking to expand our horizons. So our big question:

We can’t splurge on everything – nor would we want to. Generally speaking, do you feel that money is best spent on flying in the front of the plane, on accommodations, on fine dining, or on sightseeing?  We’re having a hard time deciding and we’re not at all confident that a local travel agent can answer this one. 

A – It is a little hard to answer this one without knowing you and having an in-depth discussion. The answer will be different for different travelers. But thank you so much for phrasing a really BIG question. In gratitude, we are going to try to answer it as specifically as possible with our recommendations:

Aircraft Seats: If there are medical reasons to fly Business or First do so. If you have miles to use do so. If not try for a good quality Premium Economy that will still give you the critical extra legroom. We like to phrase it this way to our clients: Imagine you are going to sit through a triple feature at your local movie theater. Would you pay $3000 extra for a larger seat with more legroom? 

Accommodations:  Always select one of the top-tier hotels because they employ a 24-hour security force and they change the bedding as often as you would expect it to be changed. You also need to care about who your fellow guests are likely to be. But notice that the lower priced accommodations in a top-tier hotel give you access to each of these important features. Don’t splurge on the room but do splurge on the hotel. If you have a heart attack, they know they have to call best cardiologist doctors. And always remember that if you know the price of your hotel room you have likely overpaid.

Dining: This is where we save. Three-star Michelin dining is no longer chic. Dine as the locals dine and pay what they pay for food. You will eat well and come home with better stories. 

Sightseeing – This is the one most amateurs miss. The single most important element in your enjoyment and understanding of a destination is the use of a professional guide trained to discuss those subjects that interest you most.  The one BIG splurge ought to be, for most people, the services absolutely superb guides. The very best consultants know how to snag them around-the-world. 

Q –  We will be going on the south africa safari next year a and I would like to know the strategy for bringing drugs like Zyrtac, for allergies, into the country. I have read that they are very strict about drugs. 

A – South Africa, along with many other nations in Africa are extremely strict about drugs brought into the country. In several African nations, for instance, Tylenol and Excedrin are considered to be Class 1 narcotics and fines or jail time can be used to punish offenders. Tourists, we should point out, are not usually the victims.

There are, however, some simple precautions that should remove all worries. Always travel with your prescription drugs in their original bottle and have a doctor’s note authorizing use. The prescription medications most frequently diverted to recreational use include opioid painkillers like OxyContin, anxiolytics like Xanax, tranquilizers like Valium, and stimulants like Adderall. These drugs are readily prescribed by doctors for years, and are easily available on the road , as well, when doctors’ prescriptions run out. People can become hooked in to them once they use them to affect problems, reduce or to possess an honest time with friends. Prescription drug abuse covers the spectrum from anxiolytics and opioids to stimulants. With each one of these addictions, RX treatment begins with detoxification. You enter rehab, and, under medical supervision, begin to taper off the drug that you use, over a period of weeks. At Baytown botox you will get a specialize in cosmetic treatment with Botox and skincare therapy treatments.

Prescription drug abuse covers the spectrum from anxiolytics and opioids to stimulants. With all of those addictions, treatment begins with detoxification. You enter rehab, and, under medical supervision, begin to taper off the drug that you simply use, over a period of weeks.Typically, withdrawal symptoms begin to line in within hours. If you’re detoxing from Xanax, as an example , you’ll experience anxiety, insomnia, blurred vision, nausea, and tremors. Xanax withdrawal is usually treated with medications for nausea, pain, and diarrhea.When you quit an opioid that you’re hooked in to , you tend to experience symptoms that are often like a nasty flu. within the beginning, you’ll sweat tons , feel anxious, and find it hard to sleep. From the second day onwards, you’ll begin to crave the opioid, suffer from abdominal cramping, and nausea. Detoxing reception isn’t recommended. once you detox under medical supervision, doctors are ready to administer drugs like buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone to ease the withdrawal symptoms and make the method more predictable.Quitting a stimulant like Ritalin are often very different from quitting an opioid. Doctors can prescribe medications like bromocriptine and amantadine to counter the cravings, and antidepressants can help calm the mind down and minimize the danger of self-harm.Depending on the drug, and therefore the depth of your dependence thereon , detoxification can last anywhere from every week to many weeks. Once the worst of the withdrawal symptoms pass, you’re ready for the second phase of addiction treatment, which is therapy. The goal of a drug rehab is to drug rehab is to enable you or your loved one to live a life free from the effects od drugs. If  you get most of your drugs from the same pharmacy you can have them print out the list of your current prescriptions. We recommend that you take the list and have it notarized at your bank or somewhere convenient. Border inspectors like raised seals on documents. You will certainly not be the first Americans to bring prescription drugs through O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. You will find South Africans among the most welcoming of peoples. Don’t bring the inspectors at Passport Control a gift bottle of Celebrex.

Q – We have taken your advice and are thinking about scheduling our trip to France, our first trip to Europe, next May so we can avoid the crowds. My wife has dreamed about visiting the Louvre since she was an art student at NYU. Is this a good time to go to on a trip that will certainly be taken up with daytime exhibits and museum treks followed by French local favorite dining. We might also want to do a short river cruise on the Seine. We are retired so rather flexible. I should tell you that we live in Manhattan and you have a number of readers in our building.

A –  Thank you. We hope you aren’t renting in Manhattan. If you are, you likely can’t afford three meals a day in Paris.

We are going to recommend that you move this trip up to sometime between the 15th of March and the end of April. That will cut down on the tourist numbers significantly and, given your interests, you can travel in the off-season while seeing the same paintings the crowds will be passing by just two months later. Overtourism is becoming a serious worldwide phenomenon and Paris is not exempt. This past May, workers at the Louvre staged a walkout protesting massive crowds that they claim “made the place dangerous and unmanageable”. Given that you have choices and will largely be indoors to experience the Paris of your dreams definitely plan to travel in the off-season or, at the very least, the shoulder season preceding summer. And please collect our subscription fee from building residents when you see them in the elevator.