Category: travel

too scary for me – giant swings

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

First in New Zealand, later on some high ropes courses, I’ve been terrified by the adult versions of the old children’s swing.

Here’s a run-down of the three biggest:

Essentially, you strap into a chest harness and step off a gorge. Initially, you plummet straight down for 160 feet, but then the ropes catch a line that spans the gorge. Immediately, the rope becomes taught and catches you, allowing you to you swing back and forth, like a pendulum. Nothing in my experience has ever shifted from terror to joy so quickly. I had always thought the Zambezi Gorge Swing was the world’s highest swing, but it’s not. I think it’s the third highest.

World’s Highest Swings – Gadling

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Zambezi Gorge Swing – photos

third party credit card payment when booking on-line SUCKS

On By Rick McIn Cirque du Soleil, product complaints, travelLeave a comment

Altadore Gymnastics booked a Cirque du Soleil Vegas trip for coach Ed Vincent. For his 35-years-or-so contribution to the club.

But when I went to PAY on-line, I was in for a shock.

angry guyNeither the Excaliber hotel nor Cirque du Soleil would accept payment by my credit card for “Ed Vincent”.

I first had to FAX a copy of my credit card and driver’s license to Vegas.

Where’s the convenience of on-line commerce now?

Here’s the small print from one website:

Tickets are normally sent to your credit card billing address. The Billing Address will be verified with your credit card company so you must use the exact address that your statements are sent to.

Should you require that the order be shipped to an address other than the credit card billing address we will require a faxed authorization from you. This includes a signed copy of the invoice along with legible copies of your driver’s license and the credit card that was used. This is done to protect both of us against fraudulent use.

OK. Now why did the airline (WestJet) accept my payment for Ed’s tickets, no questions asked?

Leave a comment if you know any more about this consumer hassle.

photo – Acrobatics at Muscle Beach

On By Rick McIn health & fitness, photos, travelLeave a comment

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Acrobatics at Muscle Beach, originally uploaded by ExperienceLA.

Muscle Beach, California. Summer 2004.

vote for the NEW 7 Wonders of the World

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

The 7 Ancient Wonders of the world are:

Great Pyramid of Giza
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes
Lighthouse of Alexandria

Wikipedia

We need to name the seven NEW Wonders, by vote of the great unwashed on the internet.

Brian has voted. I have voted.

Our choices will be posted on this blog in a week.

Vote for yourself on new7wonders.com:

Your vote counts! Help make history… n7w: Vote NOW

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Ancient Wonders

what’s with Canadian weather?

On By Rick McIn health & fitness, travelLeave a comment

Returning from sunny Australia to mucky Canadian winter has been a drag. Everyone here has a cold or the sniffles.

For the first time in my life I’ve started to think about living in a warm climate, and commuting to the cold for a brisk, refreshing change.

But what warm, bright climate suits me best?

I like dry rather than humid.

…

The leading contender in the retirement property sweepstakes is still Bolivia or southern Peru. Lake Titicaca is like the Mediterranean without chain-smoking Italians. Or many people at all, for that matter. This is the most crowded town on the coast.

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Copacabana, Boliva

more photos

Virgin Blue airlines sucks !

On By Rick McIn product complaints, travel, travelogues6 Comments

When I first heard I would be flying around Australia on the discount airline Virgin Blue, I was enthusiastic.

Richard Branson has his signature on the door of every plane. The company has committed to turning all profits over to improving the environment.

And AirlineQuality.com gave Virgin Blue 4 stars out of 5.

Virgin Blue still sucks.

My problem was extortion pricing on over-weight baggage. Their system simply gouges passengers who carry sports equipment. And the extortion is so embarrassingly bad customer service that many times you can talk baggage agents out of charging you. Over 6 flights I paid between A$130 and A$0 dollars for my over-weight bags. There is no consistency in who is ripped off.

The last straw was on my domestic flight connecting to an international flight on another carrier. Always in the past for me the domestic carrier allowed overweight bags up to the international limit. But one employee of Virgin Blue decided NOT to extend this courtesy to me.

I will boycott Virgin Blue in future and urge others to try the other discount airline, JetStar (Quantas).

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Next travelogue on this trip >> book – In Tasmania

United Airlines stinks (sort-of)

On By Rick McIn product complaints, travelLeave a comment

united.jpgOn an international flight Sydney to San Francisco I was comfortably seated and well treated by United Airlines.

But they had a glitch.

The entertainment system malfunctioned. No music. No TV. No movies.

That’s too bad, but not a disaster.

A stewardess announced that passengers would get compensation for the inconvenience, a surprisingly smart step. Especially for United Airlines which is not particularly beloved. AirlineQuality.com gives UA 3 stars out of 5.

It was later announced that the compensation certificates would be distributed when we landed in the USA.

As I expected, it did not happen. We got nothing. And people were so tired after a long international flight with no movies that no one complained.

Is there any GOOD airline besides WestJet (what! — only 3 stars)?

Next travelogue on this trip >> Virgin Blue airlines sucks !

South Coast Track, Tasmania

On By Rick McIn hiking, miscellaneous, photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

My final few days in Australia I spent on the southern beaches. On a clear day (on a flat planet) I could have seen both New Zealand and Antarctica from my campsite.

I was on the easy part of a fantastic difficult, muddy trek called the South Coast Track.

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trip report and photos

Next travelogue on this trip >> San Francisco … XLNT !

smokers – weak or stupid?

On By Rick McIn anti-smoking, bad news, health & fitness, travel4 Comments

Right.

Trick question.

Smokers are both weak and stupid.

If I had to choose just one cause to crusade, it would not be global warming or AIDS. It would be anti-smoking. There is no upside to smoking.

It’s expensive, dirty and — most importantly — offensive to ME.

Tasmania is great. But young people on that island below an island still think smoking is cool. Backward, or what?

A high rate of smoking, to me, is a sign of an uncultured society.

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photos – Hobart, Tasmania

On By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I spent more time by far in Hobart than anywhere else in Australia.

It is a hidden gem.

If you are looking for retirement property, add Hobart to your “possibles” list. Almost every house has an ocean view. And most have a mountain view, as well.

Over 40 random photos from the Hobart region are posted on flickr.

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Hobart settlement was started in 1803 as a penal colony. There are still a few shady characters lurking.

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more Hobart photos

Next travelogue on this trip >> South Coast Track, Tasmania