The rest of Q&A

Q – We have friends who want us to join them on a tour to Japan with Tauck Tours. Part of the trip involves a cruise on a ship called the Austral, which I’ve never heard of. The whole thing lasts two weeks and it cost about $12,000 per person which is almost $1,000 per day. We’re thinking of going this fall and wonder if you think we should pull the trigger?

A – Tauck’s 14-Day “Land of the Rising Sun” land and tour program is brilliantly conceived and a creative way to gain immersion in the Japanese culture and way of life. In fact, this program is in contention for our “Trip of The Year” Award. The mix of seven days aboard the the spectacular French-crewed L’Austral yacht is icing on the Japanese cake. But here’s the bad news – this program is so unique that it has quickly become one of the toughest to book tours in existence. We recommend you forget about 2017 and concentrate, instead, on getting on one of the two departures of this tour in 2018. As to the pricing, quality sightseeing, and top-drawer hotels with all meals at $2,000 per couple per day is really not expensive when compared to land-only costs in Japan. Sorry for our enthusiasm – this is an extraordinary program with availability far below demand.

Q –  I am extremely interesting in flying United to London in the new Polaris Business Class Seats. Believe it or not, the reservations person I spoke to couldn’t tell me which of the flights this May will have the new seats.  Are the new seats worth it – I seem to hear they are wonderful. 

A – The Polaris seats have some improved posture and support features but it is less the seat than the concept that every Business Class passenger gets an aisle seat and a lie-flat bed with the new seats. There is also a rather nice soft goods product that United has designed using bedding and duvets designed by Saks Fifth Avenue. But we seriously doubt the seats will be installed this May on your intended flights. This is a process that will be worked on one plane at a time and the complete rehab of United’s Business Class will likely span two years. You will, however, get to sit in United’s old-fashioned angle-bed seat while hugging a few pillows from Saks. As the bible says, “hard goods take much longer than soft goods to install.”

Q –  Wonder if traveltruth can help us – we’re leaving to see our son at his school in Valencia, Spain in four weeks. We don’t know a word of Spanish – well, maybe just a word. Is there any place you can recommend that offers useful Spanish for travelers at little or no cost? 

A –  We like duolingo.com for quick learning language instruction online. There is no charge. You set your own pace. Hope this is helpful.

Q – My friends are booking a nice cruise that includes a stop in Cuba. But they tell me I will have to complete a personal affidavit to get approved by the Cuban government to go on this trip.

A – The Cuban government is in a state of confusion in terms of handling the large numbers of Americans who wish to visit their country as it opens up. The required affidavit is a simple one page document. We would certainly advise you to fill it out – although we are not really enouraging travel to Cuba as a cruise day-tripper. The Cuban culture, food, and nightlife is worth at least a week of your time. We are recommending touring Cuba – not stopping by via cruise ship for a few hours.

Q –  My family is extremely well-traveled. Due to work requirements, my husband has to take a few weeks off in November each year. But after lousy weather in Europe, some really bad trips in the USA, and the hurricane season in the Caribbean, I feel we need some new ideas about destinations. We are looking for stimulating places where there really are things to see – we love history and we appreciate great scenery. We don;t need to go to really famous places. But we absolutely only want to go to those places where November is the perfect month to visit. If it makes any difference, I am from the Philippines and my husband is from Germany. One suggestion – you should do more Q and A – every day. Very helpful and honest.

A – November is a rather tricky month but as long as you have the time for a longer overseas flight there are some superb destinations where the weather in November is as good as it gets. Let us start you off with three specific recommendations:

01 – This is a perfect time to visit Tokyo and then, perhaps, Hakone and Kyoto in Japan. The trees are changing colors. Do visit Hoinshu, Japan’s largest island.

02 – Try visiting South America’s smallest country, Uruguay. They have beautiful beaches, you get a great deal for your dollar, and the food rivals what you would find in Argentina. Start in Montevideo but then explore the so-called “golden coast” and the countryside where gauchos ride the range. Then head to Buenos Aires for the culture fix you are seeking.

03 – Finally, for the ultimate in sensory impressions, sight, smell, colors, and some fantastic tastes, head to Rajasthan in India visiting the cities of Jaipur, Agra, Udaipur and Jodhpur. If you time this trip correctly, you can get to Diwali and the famed Pushkar Camel Fair.You will never forget it and the average temperature in the region is just around 85 degrees.

Q –  I tend to fly a great deal in my job as a quality inspector for a manufacturing company. Lately, I’ve started getting to the gate early and asking for the Exit Row window seat. Each time I do I get asked if I would be able and willing to assist in case of an emergency. But the thought occurred to me yesterday – what if there really was an emergency. Do I do my Mariah Carey impression? Can I get sued if I don’t do certain things? If someone can’t make it through  the door to the slide because they are too hefty am I required to rub them down with olive oil and try again? I really am concerned about this.

A – This is a rather grey area. No need to apply olive oil – just ask the heavyweights to stay with the plane and explain that someone will be back to get them. But your serious responsibilities generally include helping to open the door, helping people through it, and then, at the bottom of the exit slide, telling people to move away from the aircraft. The good news is that this is as unlikely a scenario as Trump’s induction into Mensa.

Q – Can you give me some advice about what to do if I get bumped from another flight. It just happened to us in Cincinnati. While they got us on a flight two hours later and everything worked out, the gate agent was not that helpful and I still think I should have gotten something for our trouble.  I tried contacting United three days later and got nowhere.

A – This is why we always advise that you use a professional flight monitoring service. If you are bumped again, speak to a service supervisor at the airport, someone with authority to grant you compensation. Also try to get a supervisor on the line at the airline. The two hour delay rule allows for some nice compensation. If, for instance, you are delayed by four or more hours on an international; flight you are entitled to quadruple the one-way fare in the form of a refund or a future flight certificate. The rules change often so it is best to immediately get on the phone with your airline to establish your claim and get their best offer. Remember, however, they are not required to give you anything if the delay was due to reasons beyond their control. Chatting with the gate agent about this is the last thing you should do.

Q –  Off in three months to take my girlfriend to Paris. Per your suggestion we are dividing our stay between the banks but we really are serious walkers and explorers and we want to get into the neighborhoods that are both interesting and away from selfie-seeking lemmings. We’re in our early forties and we’re getting serious even though we’ve both been married previously. I love that I finally found a woman who enjoys exploring cities as much as I do.  Really cool site. Congratulations.

A – There are several off-the-beaten path ways to explore Paris. We would suggest you begin with the still secret 13th arrondissment and the neighborhood of Butte-aux-Cailles. It is rather up-and-coming and it is set against a hilltop. The whole neighborhood is changing but it still feels a lot like a walk through an eighteenth century village. We also love Belleville, a former working class district that straddles the 19th and 20th arrondissments. This area is filled with ethnic restaurants because it has become both an artists colony and home to a number of recent settlers in France. We would visit Belleville solely for the quality of its Chinatown – incredible Cambodian, Malaysian, Thai, and Chinese food from all of the major regions. Portions of the neighborhood may seem dicey but, on the whole, it is safer than attending a Manchester United match.

Q –  My wife and I are just starting to enjoy traveling and we’d love to form a relationship with your company. It is clear that you value honesty over profits, although I am sure there is a huge market for honesty in your profession. For our first big trip, we’re thinking about traveling to Mongolia for their big annual festival called the Naadam Festival which takes place in the summer. I guess our question is, OK, we think we want to go, we are asking your opinion, but then, how do we do the rather complicated logistics? We are in good health and obviously rather new at this.

A – Fair question. You want to work with a travel consultant with worldwide connections established over many years. We highly recommend a trip to Mongolia. If you are a photographer the Naadam Festival is a must. But if you want to get a real sense of life in the country, this is a high-tourist time you might want to avoid. Accommodations need to be booked far in advance. There is only one company we would work with in Mongolia – Nomadic Expeditions. Their owner has been an advisor to the last seven Prime Ministers and he can open doors that remain closed for others. The process is to coordinate the trip through a US-based travel consultant who will work directly with Nomadic on your behalf. There should be no stress at your end at all.

Q – OK, I’ve become a traveltruth addict, I just can’t handle the news sites these days. But I read  something last night that kind of upset me as much on this site last night – you are saying flyers should not consume coffee in flight. Please explain as my life pretty much consists of morning UA flights out of O’Hare on business and I need coffee before landing in Omaha or Detroit to do biz. So why are you so against drinking coffee on an aircraft? 

A – Here is the problem: Airplanes have water storage tanks. This water is rarely tested and when it is samples have indicated extremely high bacteria counts. Tank water is potentially toxic. When you are served coffee in flight, the coffee-makers used do not boil the water. Flight attendants do not use bottled water to make the coffee – that would cost a great deal of money over the course of a year. So flyers are, without their knowledge, being served heated but not boiled, water from the aircraft’s tank reserve. We suspect that some of the stomach maladies that affect flyers are caused by parasitic tank water. This happens in the front of the plane as well as in back. Bottled water is rarely used to make coffee and it is almost never properly boiled. That would cause burns and lawsuits.