From the category archives:
Ned Levi discusses his recent Amtrak experience during the nor’easter last weekend, and Amtrak serious problems in how it treats its passengers, and its judgment about it’s own ability to quickly repair significant widespread systems and power problems.
{ 6 comments }
Ned Levi examines TSA’s new random hand swabbing program to detect explosive residue on airplane passengers and finds that it’s unlikely to work, despite claims of security experts, mostly because they’ve focused on the equipment, and not the overall security program of which they are a part.
{ 11 comments }
Ned Levi talks about this year’s Philadelphia International Flower Show. This flower show is the oldest flower show in the US, and the largest indoor flower show in the world. The exhibits from this year’s show are truly international in scope and Ned reports this is the best flower show ever.
{ 2 comments }
As the Vancouver Winter Olympics were televised, I found that curling had replaced money making on CNBC a few times. Being a creature of habit, I didn’t change the channel, but settled in to watch curling. The next day I watched it again, then again. I even cheered when the U.S. women’s team beat the U.K. and when the men managed to finally win their first match. So, in the interest of intercultural understanding, I asked Karen Cummings, the only person I know who has actually curled, to write a bit about this poorly-understood sport. Isn’t that what travel is all about?
{ 5 comments }
Ned Levi notes that many travel sites now ban the use of tripods and monopods, and discusses alternatives, so you are able to take sharp, detailed photographs even for night photography, when using long lenses on your DSLR, low light conditions anywhere, etc.
{ 9 comments }
Ned Levi relates his experience on Amtrak in last Saturday’s big snowstorm, which when faced with a failed engine still got its passengers to their destination, New York City, in a reasonable amount of time, by quick, decisive action. Amtrak’s actions enabled Ned and his family to salvage their visit to the Big Apple.
{ 14 comments }
The DeBorde family of Galveston, Texas had high hopes for their first-ever cruise vacation – a four-day sailing on the Carnival Ecstasy from their hometown to Mexico. According to the DeBordes the cruise didn’t live up to what was promised in Carnival’s brochure or website and they wanted the line to own up to its “Vacation Guarantee” so they could get off the ship and get their money back. There was just one big problem – they didn’t tell Carnival they wanted to leave.
{ 32 comments }
When he made her reservation through Aeroflot’s Web site, his finger slipped — “I hit the ‘L’ key instead of the ‘K’ key” — and misspelled his wife’s last name (“Slirtenko” instead of “Skirtenko”). Should he be concerned?
{ 7 comments }
