The rest of Q&A

Q – We are taking only our second trip to Europe, doing a very nice cruise on Azamara. Our air schedule, which our agent handled, gives us an hour and ten minutes to connect at Heathrow  for our flight to Copenhagen. But we can;t find out what gate we’re even flying from. This all sounds stressful. Should we be worried? Our agent says it is a “legal connection”.

A – We hate that term – it was invented by some intern ion the basement of an airline accounting department in the 1970’s. It means that the airline has data that shows that you will likely maker your flight. You might – but there are so many variables involved that we’re going to bet against your making it and so should you. Never schedule anything at Heathrow for less than three hours even if you are scheduling lunch with the cast of “Love Actually”. You will have to pass through the British equivalent of our TSA but theirs take tea breaks! Heathrow normally does not announce connecting gates until about 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure – so you rush to get through the inspection lines and then wait for the big board to finally announced your gate. Then you realize you have to hike over to Wales to board your aircraft. Meanwhile, your assumption that your luggage is actually going to re-connect with you at your final destination involves more faith than science. Nothing wrong with that – it works for most of the world’s religions. Even if you make it in an hour and ten minutes, you may be arriving in Copenhagen with one clean set of underwear and little else. But, as we think about it, that could be enough to enjoy Denmark.  Whenever anyone in travel talks to you about a “legal connection” jump up on the nearest desk and start screaming “liar, liar, pants on fire.” Never try to do Heathrow on less than three hours.

Q – Love the fact that you tell the traveltruth about places to avoid when flying due to high bacteria counts etc. I had never even thought that aisle seats were so much more likely to be filthy than window seats. But missing in your information is the cleaning schedules for the airlines.  I fly about two months a year, on average, on all of the major carriers. Would appreciate any specific as to how often things are cleaned on the average aircraft. Also wondering how airports themselves stack up against aircraft when it comes to germ counts and exposure. There are far more people in the terminal than there are on my 737. 

A – The cleaning crews you see waiting on the gangway as you disembark, are primarily there to remove trash bags while also performing a quick wipe-down in the lavatories. That, of course, means that the tray table and your armrest have likely not been touched since the seat was last occupied by Typhoid Mary or one of her relatives. The airlines are proud of their so-called “Deep Cleanings” where the seats are usually shampooed and the entire seat surface is sanitized. The good news is that they actually do this – the bad news is that they normally do it about once a month. Planes arriving on their last leg, ready to spend the night relaxing at the gate until morning, are usually given preferential cleaning – but that is a very relative term. 

We can clearly state, based on several university studies, that airports have higher germ counts than aircraft. Self-check-in screens are the filthiest spot in the airport, rivaled only by the lovely, grey TSA trays where you resat those things that are truly important to you. You should never use the screen or the tray before first wiping it down with anti-bacterial wipes. Yes, people will stare at you, some will laugh, and the guy in the Make America Great Again Hat may think you’re a terrorist. But it’s still a good idea. 

Q – Can you tell me if there are restrictions when bringing alcohol on the flight to Tahiti or between the islands? I just heard that your alcohol must be sealed with a duty free sticker and you can;t bring open bottles on the inter-island flights.

A – Hope you are not serious. Would you want to be seated next to someone who boarded any aircraft with their own open alcohol? Greyhound bus – perhaps – but not aboard an international or inter-island flight. The proper thing to do is to purchase any drinks on-board. That helps the airline make a little profit which helps keep prices lower. It also serves as a way to combat intoxication in the air. 

In fact, Tahiti tends to attract a fairly sophisticated, heavily French crowd that would likely laugh at any sloppy Americans trying to get through check-in with their own open alcohol. Ask your travel consultant for a primer on proper flying etiquette. 

Q –  We are in our mid-fifties but in quite fine shape as I am actually the owner of a small string of health clubs . We have been to Australia and loved it and we are now heading back to spend some time in Tasmania. Just wondering your thoughts regarding the best month to go and any hotel/resort we shouldn’t miss?  Is the food as good as we had in Sydney and Melbourne and any advice about hiking in the bush. We’ve done Grand Canyon etc. but never got to hike in Australia. 

A – Being a hiker and a foodie you really ought to be looking into some of the excellent programs run by the Canadian company Butterfield & Robinson, and you can even climb, and do other outdoor activities as well, such as to skydive. They hike during the day on carefully planned routes and stay at the finest inns while dining on gourmet cuisine. Do check them out. Backroads is another excellent company we recommend though a but downscale of B&R.

We’re all in on this trip with Tours4Fun. Choose a professional travel consultant with excellent on-site offices in Australia. We think you should do the trip in November or early December. It is springtime, with temperatures in the high sixties and sunny skies. Don;t miss staying at the Islington just outside Hobart. Everything you eat will be farm fresh. They can’t believe the poison we eat here in the States. If you love seafood you will feel you have arrived in heaven. The cheeses and fruit are other-worldly. 

We would urge some caution if you are doing any really long hikes. Know the local weather and where you can stop if you must. You may well be alone for days at end. Tasmania is the best of Australia and New Zealand without the people. The food is memorable as are the vistas. If you were also into photography, this might be the perfect destination.

Q – I have traveled quite a bit since my Mom is in the international real estate business. I like your site take a look https://www.best-innisfil-real-estate.ca/, she will help you if you need a real estate agent, she even can help you find the right storage facility for you if you are moving out of the city, she will recommended you Internationing movers services. I am wondering why airlines are still showing movies in seat backs, which is very 1950’s. Wouldn’t it be better if every passenger was given a Virtual Reality headset so they could watch movies and also play games without disturbing the person sitting next to them? The technology already exists. Hope you can answer this. I think you need more younger writers but this is still a cool site. I’ve learned a lot. 

A – Thank you very much and congratulations on your choice of reading. You are certainly right about our need for younger technology writers. We would be pleased to print any additional commentary you might care to provide in the future.

The use of VR is a bit up in the air. The fact is that we will be seeing a great deal of Virtual Reality products taking to the air in the next 36 months. But not necessarily because it is better. The airlines are quite concerned about the cost and particularly the weight of back-of-seat TV technology. The system that must be installed in every seat to operate the program, along with the cost of repairs, makes this a feature airlines can’t wait to remove from their aircraft. The company that is pioneering this technology is called Inflight VR and what they have going for them is that each of their current VR headsets weighs less than a pound. The content, currently being tested on several smaller airlines, can be changed easily to suit the destination. For instance, you might opt to see ten minutes of a Broadway play en route to New York with the option to order tickets at your seat. 

The airlines are mostly concerned about cost and weight of seat back monitors but they also realize that by the time they are installed much of the content and certainly the technology is already outdated. The first step in the elimination of back of seat technology will be the announcement by the three major carriers that they will be eliminating seat back monitors on shorter flights of under three hours. VR will be available as a perk in First Class and should attain at least “break even” status for use in economy. The early studies seem to show that flyers using VR headsets do have a better flight experience. The anticipated occasional motion sickness has not shown up as a problem. One of the things that will be possible with in-seat VR is the ability to feel like you are flying the plane from your seat. This one will really be fun to watch and the airlines are definitely on-board with anything that will help them shed significant weight from the aircraft because of the immediate savings in fuel consumption. Keep reading and tell us what else we’re missing..

Q – I know you are going to have fun with this but I wouldn’t turn to anyone else for help. Have been following your work and advice for many years and am extremely grateful. We live in Arizona, no not Sun City, and I have, with the time of retirement, been getting into Ayurvedic natural medicine and meditation. My husband and I want to plan a holistic-based vacation in an exotic locale that is top quality where the day tour possibilities are in keeping with the spiritual nature of the accommodations. We would want the options of designing our own programs and detox from stress and technology should be part of the program. We have a gizzilion miles we want to use before the US goes on lock down so flying halfway around the world is no issue at all. We’ll be meditating in First Class. But once we arrive, we don;t want to feel that we are being ripped off with pricing that is totally out of whack with the destination. We just want fair pricing. We’d like to try to keep spending under $2,000 per night. Does any place in your radar come to mind for us?

A – We have suggestions on where to go, but if you definitely disagree with our suggested spot then I suggest going on the Grand Canyon river rafting tour. You might love the 21-acre Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Sri Lanka. It sits on a coconut plantation overlooking the Indian Ocean. The excursions include visits to local artists, cooking classes, and some incredible Buddhist temples, but the main draw is the combination of bespoke treatments, Ayurvedic cuisine, and meditative detox. And we won’t have “fun” with this at all. We admire you for knowing what you want and for deciding that your vacation will, in many ways, be life-changing. 

Q – We are headed to Mexico to look around San Miguel de Allende for a possible retirement retreat. The prices just can’t be beat and there is a huge ex-pat American community. Our real estate people have set us up for accommodations but we are wondering if there is a particular restaurant we should designate as our evening headquarters. We’re not all that into trendy – we just like good.

A – We’re not going to suggest that it might be less expensive still to move into the back of a Chipolte. You are correct, San Miguel de Allende is actually the centerpiece for the largest ex-pat American community on earth. It is a lovely area. It sounds as though the restaurant you might really enjoy is Bovine. Great steaks and seafood in buildings that house lovely small boutiques. 

Wе adore Mеxісо’ѕ еnеrgу and bеаutу аnd аftеr оur lаtеѕt tаѕtе оf the соuntrу, we are rеаdу to rеdіѕсоvеr more оf whаt Mеxісо has tо offer.
Mexico is a country thrіvіng wіth unique сulturе аnd hіѕtоrу. As the соuntrу in Latin Amеrіса with the highest аmоunt оf tourism, Mexico оffеrѕ a vаrіеtу оf орроrtunіtіеѕ to еxрlоrе its аnсіеnt hіѕtоrісаl landmarks оr іndulgе in оnе оf its mаnу unіԛuе rеѕоrtѕ right оn the соаѕt of the Gulf оf Mеxісо оr thе Pacific Ocean, you can look at these Mexico Travel Tips to learn everything you need to know before visiting this amazing country.

Hеrе аrе a fеw of thе many reasons уоu should рlаn уоur nеxt vacation to Mеxісо.

Whаtѕ unіԛuе аbоut Mеxісо’ѕ cuisine іѕ thаt іt vаrіеѕ bу region. Mоѕt dіѕhеѕ are a соmbіnаtіоn of the аnсіеnt Aztес аnd Mayan dіѕhеѕ and thе іnfluеnсе оf thе Sраnіѕh conquistadors.

Whіlе thеу ѕеrvе some оf thе more іntеrnаtіоnаllу recognized dіѕhеѕ, like tаmаlеѕ, tacos and quesadillas, they also hаvе a vаrіеtу of dіѕhеѕ nоt found аnуwhеrе else.

Nоrthеrn Mеxісо offers vаrіеtіеѕ of beef, gоаt and most unіԛuеlу оѕtrісh dіѕhеѕ. Cеntrаl Mеxісо іѕ a соmbіnаtіоn of thе influence of оthеr rеgіоnѕ of Mеxісо, оffеrіng mуrіаd саrnіtаѕ, tamales, аnd bаrbасоа.

Yet іn Sоuthеаѕtеrn Mexico, thеу аrе knоwn fоr their vаrіеd use оf spices, with a lіttlе Cаrіbbеаn influence. There is also a wіdе uѕе оf fish in аrеаѕ nеаr the Gulf оf Mеxісо and Pасіfіс Ocean.

Dіd уоu knоw Mеxісо іѕ аlѕо hоmе tо the creation оf chocolate? Dаtіng bасk tо 1100 BC, the Aztecs were knоwn tо uѕе сосоа іn thеіr drіnkѕ. Sоmе vеndоrѕ ѕtіll оffеr authentic Aztес сhосоlаtе in thе mаrkеtѕ.

Q – We are leaving in two weeks for Milan – a quick three-night addition to a business trip I have planned. My husband will be joining me and, strange as it sounds, he actually loves to shop high-end Italian clothing shops like The Swiss Avenue Store. To save time – please, please tell us where we should shop and where we should stay (hopefully in the same neighborhood).

A – Head to Quadrilatero della Moda which is in the centro-storico district. The two streets you want are Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga.. Do not stay anywhere but the Townhouse at the Galleria..We forbid it.  It is Milan’s best-kept secret and one of Europe’s best properties. Rooms overlook the cafes and shops of Milan’s famed Galleria. Another good option to buy is shopping online, visit Shoppok and find all you need. Don’t be shocked if you run into a few Hollywood types in hiding – or, perhaps, Michael Cohen.  

Q – The other day I was about to board a flight to Los Angeles with my husband and he commented on how new it looked. It was not, however, a new plane. It just looked like it had been washed. The paint was gleaming. I am wondering how often the outside of these planes are washed? Are there any rules in place?

A – No hard and fast rules but the wash rotation for major carriers seem to vary from 30 to 60 days of flight time. Singapore Airlines claims its planes are washed on a monthly schedule. United washes its planes every 50 days. The airline has wash facilities worldwide to service its fleet. All of the world’s leading airlines seriously believe that “first impressions matter.”

Q – I would never criticize your industry but I hope you won’t mind my suggesting that most of the information I’ve read about Jet Lag is pure nonsense. My new job requires very frequent international travel, primarily to Asia, I love to spend my time at the bungalow sri lanka while being there. Really wondering if there is any way to arrive more refreshed than I do. I have followed all the traditional remedies like no drinking, Melatonin, etc. I just seem to arrive in no shape to conduct business and I am almost always in the front of the plane. What am I missing here? My doctor is stumped and so am I. 

A – Obviously, we don’t have a solution but we do have a suggestion. Instead of concentrating on magic remedies and pills, try concentrating more on the aircraft and just when it left the factory. The fact is that when most people fly in an aircraft they are flying a plane that is pressured to about the comfort you might feel sleeping at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The 767, 707, and older A340’s and 350’s all maintain air pressure at about the same level and it approximates what you would experience spending the night in Bogota, Columbia. Of course, you can Check this Out for more information about safe and fun traveling. 

According to Atas you should use Seatguru.com or flightradar24.com to check the type of aircraft being used on your route. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus 350 XWB are new commercial aircraft types constructed out of carbon fiber reinforced polymer. This is a lighter material that sharply reduces fuel consumption. But there is some serious evidence that suggests they also cut down on some of the major symptoms we see in jet lag. That is because these new materials can handle more interior pressurization that metal which practically produces an in-cabin air atmosphere that is about the same as trying to sleep at an elevation of 6,000 feet. That 25% reduction can help eliminate jet lag which is also known as “mountain sickness” on older model aircraft, The new generation aircraft also maintain a higher humidity level so the air is far less dry. This also helps with sleep. And if that is not enough, be aware that the newest aircraft have much better air filtration systems, higher ceilings, and larger windows. These improvements help contribute to creating better rest on-board and they will likely help you with the jet lag you are experiencing, this way people can vacation at the hotel Neustift im Stubaital without having to worry about their traveling process. The really good news for you is that the Asian carriers have been purchasing large numbers of these new-generation aircraft.