Karen Fawcett

Only the very rich and famous can afford to make such a wager and carry it out with panache. In addition, the proceeds will go to charity, merci. Virgin Airlines Chairman Sir Richard Branson, will be dressed as a female flight attendant on a special flight on May 1st between London to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. To make things a wee bit kinky, if one of the 160 passengers bids $650,000, he or she will have the pleasure (?) of shaving Branson’s legs.

You may be wondering how this came about. Branson lost a bet to Malaysian airline mogul Tony Fernandes of AirAsia, a low cost airline that’s ferrying passengers throughout Asia. The two wagered that whichever of  their new Formula One racing teams finished ahead of the other, the “loser” would cross-dress in their respective female flight attendants’ uniforms. And, that means wearing high heels.

A one-way ticket aboard the flight, which will  feature a magic show and live bands will cost about $7,300.00. Proceeds of both the bidding and ticket sales will go to beneficiaries designated by Virgin Unite, Sir Richard’s non-profit foundation.

Mr Fernandes said he’ll let Branson keep his beard. But, the 60-year-old entrepreneur will be expected to wear high heels, put on some make-up and perform all of a flight attendant’s responsibilities.

Do you think people will really be monitoring how well Branson serves drinks and meals to the passengers? My bet would be no. But, it would be fun to watch and have a performance card to fill out. After all, if you can afford to pay that much for a ticket, the service should be impeccable.

Photo: The Power of Giving

Karen Fawcett continues her visit to Berlin. In her first post she focused on an overview of the city. Here she delves into more specifics after a recommended bird’s-eye-view of the city from the TV tower that she passed up.

Sights we saw and (mostly) didn’t see:

People who go to a place of any size, spend a day sightseeing and think they’ve seen it amaze me. That’s one reason to steer clear of tours where travelers are whisked from here to there with an agenda like “if it’s Tuesday, it must be Brussels… or maybe Berlin?” How about seeing the city? How about seeing what’s in between this city and the next?

OK, here are some suggestions for an in-depth Berlin visit. I certainly did not get to all of them! But, for more than a fleeting overview, these are sights and experiences that add another level of familiarity with Berlin.

For a 360-degree overview of the city, the Visit Berlin Tourist Office suggests you go here. It is a TV Tower 680 feet high (270 meters) where you can get an stunning overview of the city; you can see many of its tourist attractions from here, including the Reichstag (Parliament building), the Brandenburg Gate and the Main Railway Station, as well as the Olympic Stadium, the Museum Island (Museumsinsel) and the Potsdam Square (Potsdamer Platz). This makes sense.

We didn’t go. Instead, because of a recommendation, we ate at Solar, at the summit of a high-rise building. Our source assured us it’s a local hangout where we wouldn’t encounter tourists. She was right. The food was more than decent, portions were huge and could be split and the prices were moderate especially compared to Paris. As guaranteed, the view was incredible and the decibel level could blow out people’s eardrums. Décor-wise (all-black and glass), it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It’s the type of place you either love or hate, and you know darn well there’s a whole lot of shaking going on after midnight.

We went to Checkpoint Charlie (and yes, there’s a kind of cheesy feeling that comes from being besieged by people being able to buy a piece of the Berlin Wall) and other relics of the Soviet era. We walked through The Brandenburg Gate and studied the exteriors of Museum row.

I’m embarrassed to admit we didn’t go to the Jewish Museum. You need to dedicate three days to do it justice.

But, contrary to what you may expect, this is not a to-do-and-what-to see article. It’s more about the very superficial conclusions I came to during my stay in the German capital. If you’re looking for tourism information, the Berlin Tourist Office has a first-rate site.

My way of learning is to interview people and ask lots of (often, too many) questions. One advantage I have, is that I know I can and will return to Berlin. Perhaps, sooner than later.

I grilled Toma Haines, the Antiques Diva, a Bonjour Paris contributor, who lives in Berlin and commutes to Paris. She shared her insights and said, “I can’t emphasize strongly enough is that Berlin is a poor city. It was flattened in WWII, isolated by the Wall, and it’s never recovered. In 2004, Klaus Wowereit, the mayor, said in an interview, “Berlin ist arm, aber sexy.” (“Berlin is poor, but sexy.”)

Beginning with the 20th anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin Wall in November 2009, investors have been building non-stop, so construction is always visible. I love the quote from Jack Lang, former French minister of culture, when he talked about Berlin’s growth and how quickly it’s changing. “Paris is always Paris and Berlin is never Berlin.” Of course, Lang missed Baron Haussmann.

“Literally every week a new store opens up, a new building is being built… fueling the economy with the hope it will pay off. People, especially Americans, are investing in Berlin, but you have to think long-term to make it worth your money,” Toma said.

Some things I learned:

Even though Berlin and Paris are so close (by plane), it’s an eight-hour drive and an overnight (12 hour-long) train trip between the two capital cities.

Think BIG. Streets are wide, stores are big and the city feels quasi empty.

Don’t expect people to speak English. It’s a plus if they do if they’re of a certain age. Younger Germans will, but they’re not necessarily the ones who are manning information booths in the train or subway stations. Use transport maps, or a smart-phone application if you have one.

Many Germans steer clear of making eye contact. I hate generalizations, but that tends to be the norm if you’re passing by and through. If they know you, it’s something else.

Waiters are professional and appear to do their jobs well. But, they’re not as friendly as those in the U.S. nor as professional as waiters in France. Tips are not included. Supposedly, 5% (more or less) of the check is the norm.

Taxi drivers don’t necessarily speak English. Be sure to have the address in writing of where you’re going, plus, your return destination. If you find the “right” driver, however, you’ll learn a lot. The one we snagged when we went to the airport was full of information and was happy to share his sense of how the city and housing demographics have changed. When we thanked him, he thanked us, remarking that passengers usually treat him as if he’s invisible.

People aren’t supposed to cross the street when there’s a red light – even if there’s not a car in sight and it’s 6 a.m. Moi?

Even though graffiti is an art form, don’t toss your trash on the sidewalk including a napkin that happens to fall.

If you happen to have a car and park illegally even for a minute, even if the police don’t arrive in time to give you a $5 ticket, other drivers and passersby will reprimand you.

Berlin is a safe city as long as you use big city smarts. At the same time, some younger Berlin residents buck the establishment. Don’t be surprised if you see storefronts that have been bashed in and because it’s non-shatter glass, you might mistake it for being an art statement. It’s not. One shop owner told me it’s frequent and perpetrated by Berlin punks.

Compared to Paris, it’s cheap. If only it weren’t so expensive to check luggage on flights, it would have made dollars, cents and euros to have bought drugstore and grocery items and so much more and brought them home.

Food and More:

Berlin is the land of coffee here and coffee everywhere. The first café in Berlin was opened in 1670. Between Einstein and Starbucks, fast, good and moderately priced carryout coffee to go is available whenever you’re in the mood. And you can sit down in the shops, inside or out, no matter how cold it is. Bring on the lattes and the “white coffees” that are made with condensed milk. The majority of these places have free WiFi and are enormous compared to those in Paris.

I’m told women with curves are appreciated…it’s a bit of a culture shock after living in Paris where women are forever on a diet and are seemingly born without hips and thighs.

Come to think of it, you’ll see relatively few French women drinking beer contrasted to those in Germany. Yes, there some very good wines produced there, but nothing compared to the amount of beer. On nearly every block, you’ll see a restaurant with a cheery rosy-faced (wooden) man beckoning you in for beer and local cuisine.

If you like your food heavy and copious, you’ll be in heaven. Expect to be served bratwurst, other sausages and foods that don’t leave you craving for another meal within two hours—or maybe two days. Portions of Wiener Schnitzel are enough for two people if you aren’t into super-size-me portions. Head to Ottenthal if you want to taste the real thing perfectly prepared.

Berliners are crazy for organic and you can get organic almost anything for same price as nonorganic. Go figure…

Clubs and more:

There’s an enormous club scene in Berlin and, generally, it doesn’t get going until late (and not every night). We were advised to go to Cookies Club in Berlin, which is hot and heavy on Tuesday and Thursday nights, but were told it didn’t really get swinging until 2 or 3 a.m. and stays open until 6 a.m. Even though it was practically in the Westin, there was no way I was going to make an appearance. Although I awakened at 2 a.m., wearing a terry cloth robe to a hip hang-out isn’t comme il faut.

There’s a super jazz club, but hey, tired is tired. Badenscher Hof is by reputation a crowded hole in the wall in West Berlin that reminds you of what a night out in Berlin would have been like in the 20s. For a more modern feel, and perhaps bigger names, there’s also A-Trane.

Neighborhoods and shopping:

The reason we weren’t museuming is because we were exploring neighborhoods trying to decide why the city is so über hot and hip.

More of Berlin coming in the final saga.

Photo by http2007 Flickr Creative Common

Sleep is good. But, not when you’re on duty in an airport control tower and responsible for planes landing. After air controllers were found asleep on the job at Washington’s Reagan National Airport; Seattle’s King Field, Wa.; Lubbock, Texas; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Nv.; the federal government added a second controller at the 27 air towers that were staffed by only one person on the late night shift.

This was instituted after two jets landed without tower help at the Nation Capital’s Reagan airport.  Another plane, an air ambulance flight carrying a sick patient, was able to land without tower help.  The planes (and who knows how many others) landed safely. But, who would opt to be on them?

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood said, ”I am totally outraged by these incidents. This is unacceptable. “The American public trusts us to run a safe system.”

Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt agreed with Lahood and announced an additional controller would be added on overnight shifts. ”Air traffic controllers are responsible for making sure aircraft safely reach their destinations,” Babbitt said. “We absolutely cannot and will not tolerate sleeping on the job. This type of unprofessional behavior does not meet our high safety standards.”

No kidding. But, did it ever occur to you there’d be a sole controller in a tower at a major airport? And certainly not at Washington, DC’s Reagan Airport. After all, it’s the one that members of Congress traditionally use. Maybe in some out-of-the-way airports with little traffic might not need 24/7 air traffic controllers.

Response from the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. Rockerfeller (D-WV), was unusually blunt.

I just got off the phone with the FAA and told the Administrator that I am sick of this. I have the utmost respect for air traffic controllers, the vast majority of whom work hard and are outstanding professionals. But we can’t have an aviation system where some of the people responsible for safety are literally asleep at the switch. This has to stop. The agency needs to do whatever it takes to keep air traffic controllers from sleeping on the job or not treating their responsibilities with the highest level of seriousness and attention.

Chairman John Mica (R-FL) of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee took a different approach. He sees the increased workers on the graveyard shift as a misdirection of resources.

“Only in the federal government would you double up on workers, averaging $161,000 per year in salary and benefits, that aren’t doing their job.”

“This increase in staffing, when there is little to no traffic, also misdirects our resources and focus away from congested air traffic control facilities.”

Mica and other Committee leaders plan a closed door meeting in Washington on Thursday with FAA leaders to discuss the recent spate of near misses, runway incursions and incidents of sleeping on the job.

The FAA said a second controller will be added to the midnight shift at Akron-Canton, Ohio; Allegheny, Pa.; Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; Burbank, Calif.; Duluth, Minn.; DuPage, Ill., Fargo, N.D.; two airports in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Ft. Worth Meacham, Texas; Grant County, Wash.; Kansas City, Mo.; Manchester, N.H.; Omaha, Neb.; Ontario, Calif.; Reno-Tahoe, Nev.; Richmond, Va.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Terre Haute, Ind.; Teterboro, N.J.; Tucson, Ariz.; Willow Run, Mich.; Windsor Locks, Conn., and Youngstown, Ohio. A second nighttime controller was also added at an approach control facility in Omaha.

This issue of air traffic controllers leaving the tower and taking naps is not a cut and dried issue. In many cases controllers have to visit the bathroom, which may be on another floor of the tower. And some experts say that naps actually help with alertness in the towers when air traffic picks up. This is a debate we will certainly hear over the coming weeks.

Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris.

Photo: regulus-starnotes.blogspot.com

Traveling from Paris to Berlin on no-frills Easy Jet Airlines was perfectly fine. The planes were clean, the flight attendants professional. One flight steward even had the courtesy to laugh when someone asked if there were a charge for a glass of water. In his very British accent he replied no, but there was one for coffee. Best of all, the flight was cheaper than cheap and, once in the air, it took only 90 minutes.

We decided to train it to the hotel rather than spend money on a cab. That was possibly a mistake since it was a 15-minute-long walk to the airport station and a subsequent 30-minute wait for the next train, which was the slow train into the central station. No RER that whisks by the outskirts of the city and we immediately spotted the considerable graffiti that’s considered an art form there.

By the time we arrived at The Westin Grand Berlin (thank goodness for Starwood points), we weren’t feeling so perky. But, that wasn’t going to deter us, come hell or high water. Nor was the bone-chilling cold weather that had us wearing so many layers that I felt like Charlie Brown. A friend, who lives there, says there’s a reason the city is called Buuurrrrrlin. And the summers tend to be hot. OK, one doesn’t travel for the weather unless you’re off on a beach vacation and then, you can only hope.

The hotel was very, but very nice, albeit without free WiFi, one of my pet peeves on my hotel list, but I won’t go there. Its location is ideal if you want to get around by public transport. The Welcome Pass is a real bargain for tourists. My friend and I spent hours on the hop-on-and-hop-off City Tour bus and were impressed by how much we were able to see and how comprehensive the narration was and in impeccable English, thanks to earphones.

Our M.O. was to do a complete tour and then decide where we wanted to spend time. Berlin has incredible museums and there’s no way you can see a fraction of them and do them justice. The Jewish Museum consists of three buildings and is more than 3000 square meters in size or about 32,000 square feet.

We were forced to make an executive decision. Were we going to see the city, which is known for being the hip and happening place in the EU, or spend all of our time in a museum or two? We opted for the former, vowing we’d return and do only culture.

Contrasted with Paris, it’s huge and the German capital takes a lot of exploring in addition to a more than superficial knowledge of history. The more we saw of Berlin, the more we realized people can spend weeks sightseeing and only get a glimpse of the city and its many layers. It still has the feeling of an Eastern Bloc city where so much was leveled during WWII. Its architecture is a tribute to those who rebuilt the city after the WWII and after the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989, when there was another massive wave of construction.

What We Did:

After the city bus tour, we took a boat trip on the Spree. Because it was before the season began, we couldn’t find a barge with English narration. We followed a map noting where we were and drinking hot chocolate laced with rum. It was an eye-opener that there are approximately as many canals in Berlin as there are in Venice.

On the banks, there is nothing but restaurants and even though it was frigid, people were eating outside, bundled in blankets the restaurants supply. If you spy a red or bright yellow fleece blanket with fringe, chances are people have helped themselves.

Residents of Berlin so love the sun they’ll seize every opportunity to sit outside. Rumor has it that there are more convertibles there than in any other European city. This may reflect the fundamentally optimistic nature of Berliners, who concludes that putting down the top means the weather must really be nice and warm and sunny, even if they’re wearing clothes appropriate to hit the ski slopes.

We walked throughout the city, not always precisely certain where we were going. Always a believer in leaving time for serendipity, we explored streets and came to one conclusion: living in Berlin costs substantially less than it does in Paris. That gave me pause and more of an understanding as to why Berlin has become a center for artists and writers. Before going any further, I am NOT moving there for so many reasons including that fewer people speak English and there’s no way I’m ever going to learn another language even if I took total immersion classes. At my age, life is too short.

Photo by http2007 Flickr Creative Common

It’s school vacation in France and the time when some families pile into cars and go to ski resorts or to grandmother’s house. For argument’s sake, let’s assume you’re a family of four — two adults and two children. I’ll skip infants, who require diaper changes and more.

Would you stop overnight if the drive were nine hours long?

Most people say no: They’d go for it in one shot. Others claim that breaking up at trip into two days is part of the adventure. Plus, it saves wear and tear on vocal chords and on nerves from requesting the younger set (or driving partner) to behave.

One person said he leaves around 7 p.m. (after rush hour) and he and his partner drive for four hours to a pre-reserved hotel on the highway. Their children generally sleep part of the way and remain asleep after arriving at the hotel. Jean-Luc qualifies that one of their secrets is having their children wear outfits that can double as PJ’s so the need to change clothes is negated. The family stokes up on breakfast the following morning and is at their destination in time for lunch. The hotel room may cost  but Jean-Luc feels it’s worth it.

What to bring on these trips:

• Books for the children

• Electronic gadgets that preferably don’t make noise

• DVD players with ear-phones

• Paper and colored pencils – skip crayons since they can stain upholstery

• Children’s own pillows and blankets

• Food and drinks:  some people are adamant children are allowed only to drink water inside of the car.  Others are more liberal regarding what’s consumed.

• Granola bars, fruit and bags of potato chips are up for discussion. Some drivers allowed them to be eaten in the car, while others insist they’re eater at rest stops.

What to do:

Stop every two hours to stretch, use rest rooms, avoid fatigues and factor in a few minutes to breathe. If the children are young, it’s a plus if there’s a playground at the rest stop.

Some people say children should not be stuck in the back seat but the passengers should rotate places.  It may be a chance to have some quality time with your seat partner.

Have pre-set games such as spot the red Ferrari.

Must haves:

• Tissues

• Trash bags

• Hand wipes

• Socks

E.A., a UK resident wrote:

“I don’t have children, so I have no idea of what it is like traveling with children in the back, I can imagine it must be a nightmare.”

Absolutely Don’ts in my car:

No smoking
No food or any drinks at any time. (exception bottled water only to be consumed outside the vehicle at a pre-scheduled stop).
No sat navs or any devices that will leave marks on the windscreen, be a distraction, cause unnecessary light pollution or any cables cluttering the interior.
No mobile phones (only allowed it securely switched off)
No clutter
No muddy shoes

Things to have in my car:
Enough petrol in the tank
First aid kit
Warning triangle
Hi-visibility vest
Spare bulbs and spare fuses.
Tools to change a wheel
Battery starter cables
Torch (flashlight)
Glass cleaner, quick detailer and microfibre cloths to keep windscreen, windows and headlight clear.
Plastic bag to put any rubbish

If traveling to Europe:
passport, international driving license, insurance certificate with European coverage and road assistance.

In Winter:
Snow boots
Shovel
Blanket

The above is an extensive list.  Clearly, there are many things that aren’t  included that would make your drive easier. Please feel free to add items and ideas, which have been omitted. I know I’d need a GPS system to help me get to my destination. Not that the directions are always right or the shortest distance between two places. But, that’s another article.

The newly appointed Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Affairs  Zahi Hawass, has announced that Pharaonic, Coptic, Islamic and modern sites will reopen on  Sunday, February 20th. This is considered one of the more important steps in bringing the country back to normal and getting the economic engine running.

Egypt’s economy has been greatly impacted by the halt in tourism due to the country’s civil unrest that included 18 days of protests and ultimately, the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.

Zahi Hawass says he hopes tourists from around the world will return, in spite of the fact the many of Egypt’s antiquities were damaged or looted during the upheaval. After a break-in at the nation’s Egyptian Museum in Cairo, 18 artifacts are missing. However, many of the museum’s major masterpieces, such as the Golden Mask of Tutankhamun were unharmed.

There has been substantial damage and looting from other historical sites including the tomb of Hetep-Ka, in Saqqar and also in Abusir, where a portion of a false door was stolen from the tomb of Re-Hotep. The full extent of the damage is still unknown. But, undoubtedly there’s been extensive destruction done; including to some royal pyramids and burial sites.

It’s hoped  many of the artifacts will be returned since they cannot be sold on the open market. Extensive restoration will be necessary for the  many pieces that were vandalized.

The real question is if whether or not you would feel safe traveling to a country where there was violence, mass demonstrations and a change of government (not yet formalized) so recently?

What are government officials going to need to do make you feel confident enough to book a ticket to Egypt? Without a doubt, there will be some real travel bargains. But, will they be enough?

Some people will go because they love Egypt and feel a sense of solidarity.  But, will you be one of them?

Photo: wilhelmja, Flickr creative commons

The current political situation in Egypt is going to have an impact on tourism as well as travel. U.S. carriers have already ceased flights to Cairo and other parts of the country.

Tourists in Cairo are being advised to remain in their hotels and not get involved in the demonstrations. Stay away from the U.S. Embassy since it’s situated where many of the protests are taking place. The American government announced this morning it will arrange flights to Europe for U.S. citizens who are currently in Egypt.

Communications are difficult. Government officials have banned internet usage, cell phone coverage is uneven and frequently does not operate. Ironically, much of the news that’s being dispersed has been via social media, especially Twitter.

If friends and relatives are there, contact their tours operators and employers and see what information they’re able to convey to you and to people there.

Many government Foreign Affairs Ministries have  facilities for travelers to all foreign destinations, including Egypt  where they can and should register  their contact details. This is essential in the  event travelers need to be evacuated from Egypt.

If you plan or need to go to Egypt right now, be sure you’re covered by  appropriate travel insurance.

The situation in Egypt is fluid. Keep yourself updated on the political situation as often as possible during these uncertain times. Don’t  travel to Egypt unless it’s essential. Even though areas of Egypt are safe, other regions should be avoided. Egypt a not a no-go zone but this may not be the time to head for a beach vacation.

Most important, let’s hope this civil and political unrest is resolved quickly and does not spread to other areas of the middle-East.

I was in Saigon just twelve months ago and now I’m back. Based on my visit , you’d think my previous trip had been a decade before. My, how a city changes when the powers in charge decide to allow people the freedom to be capitalists. Granted, Vietnam may have a Communist government but the population is definitely out to make money.

While  I was living the life of luxury aboard a Seabourn Cruise, I couldn’t wait to jump ship and spend some time on land. We were docked within ten minutes of the center of town and if you negotiated the fare before hopping into the taxi, you could be in the center of town within a matter of minutes and for less than two U.S. dollars.

People keep asking why Asia is my destination of choice—after Paris. It’s a long trip no matter whether I’m flying from the U.S. or from Europe. As many time as I’ve visited the region, it becomes increasing evident I’ve only scratched the surface. Perhaps I inherited my love of the orient from my great-grandfather who lived in Shanghai and started the China Export Company.

All places change. But, Asia is changing at a full gallop. If you blink, there will be a new building. Saigon was a real shocker. A new building is scheduled to open in a couple of months with a heliport. It will be 68-stories high and will house offices, luxury apartments and a hotel. So much for low-rise and low-income.

Yes, there are still old-time markets where people can haggle with vendors. But don’t expect to walk away with something for pennies unless it’s worth pennies. When Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci open stores in a city, that’s an indication Vietnam has become consumer and brand conscious, and they are buying. Passengers on the ship were transported in Mercedes vans on excursions and there’s a newly opened Mercedes dealership.

I wanted to see “old” Saigon that’s disappearing with each visit. I hired a scooter driver (yes, I was wearing a helmet) and we went into neighborhoods that were essentially alleys. Unfortunately, the chauffeur and I had a communication problem and he didn’t understand my asking him to stop so I could take photos. Perhaps it was healthier since the pollution in Saigon is terrible and I wished I’d bought a facemask.

We sped by the Basilica of Notre Dame, the railway station, the Opera House, the post office and other remnants of architecture constructed by the French. Don’t expect to speak French should you visit Saigon. Children are now taught minimal English unless they’re in tourist-or  business-related industries.

We took a day trip on the Mekong Delta. That’s where you see old Vietnam. There’s something so beautiful and serene about the area that it touched my soul. People are by no means living anything other than hard and basic lives. But, they’re renowned for being the friendliest in the country and few would opt to move to a city.

I can never spend enough time in Vietnam but I wonder whether or not I’m the only person who suffers from acute culture shock after every visit. Is there such a think as too much progress too fast? I guess only time will tell. For me, the change in Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City, from one year to the next was positively jarring.

I’d like to hear your thoughts about what might be too much change.

You’re at the airport and ticketed. You’ve gone through security and your flight has been announced. What could cause you not to board or to bail?

Some people call it intuition. Other travelers state they don’t like how others passengers look or appear. There are myriad motives. But, they may not be ones you think.

Ten reasons:

1 – Change of equipment: You expected a larger plane only to find that older and smaller equipment had been substituted. Some people are leery of prop planes rather than jets.

2 – Weather you perceive as threatening even though the flight was departing.

3 – Boarding the plane, feeling sick and not wanting to proceed with the trip.

4 –Discovering the plane had originated from a country where there had been an outbreak of  a communicable disease.

5 – Some people have bailed from budget planes that looked as if they hadn’t been well maintained. This is especially true during inclement weather.

6 – One person boarded a flight to be greeted by other passengers, who were intoxicated and decided not to proceed. The take-off was delayed since the airline had to unload her luggage. She didn’t care in spite of being chastised by airline personnel.

7 – Believing the flight might not be safe. One person reported passengers had been deplaned because there were technical and engine problems that included overheating. After the third false start, he decided to cancel and booked another flight. The plane took off without him.

8 – Being alerted of sudden illness at home that necessitated not traveling. Or, being seated next to a sick passenger and not being change seats?

9 – Seeing the pilot and perceiving he or she might have been drinking and/or was not in condition to be in charge of your life and/or well-being.

10 – One person reported he deplaned when there was an announcement that the majority of the WC’s on the plane weren’t operative and there was a shortage of water. He attributed it to shoddy maintenance.

I’d want to avoid a long-haul flight where the caterer was unable to stock any food or drinks. I suspect I’m not alone.

Please add any and all reasons you’d decide not to take a specific flight. The above ones must be the tip if the iceberg. And, how would a $150 or $250 change fee affect your actions?

As a supposed travel expert, I was stumped when it came to planning my most recent trip. Talk France and I’m fine. But this was something else.

Ms. Get Up & Go was embarking on a new adventure. Had it simply involved only hotels, I might have bitten the bullet and done it myself. But, we were taking to the seas and cruises aren’t my thing – or so I didn’t think. Perhaps I’d grown up watching too many episodes of the television series, “The Love Boat.”

This trip entailed traveling with a very dear older friend who has some mobility issues. There was no way we were going to be climbing aboard camels or surveying the countryside in hot air balloons. Since adventure travel was out so, we decided to take a cruise, but were overwhelmed by the choices. I’d read about  The Royal Caribbean’s biggest new ship, The Allure of the Seas, that accommodates 5,400 passengers, and immediately nixed it. No matter what it offered, I’d spend the entire trip trying to find the cabin.

I surfed the cruise sites and to be honest, I became increasingly confused. It’s hard to read between the lines, the print and the copywriters’ accolades.  What is included in the fare was the least of my concerns because I expected to be nickeled and dimed in today’s travel environment. To complicate matters, I kept reading about all of the deep-discounted cruises and started wondering. How could you live for less on a ship than if you never left home?

The idea of fighting over where and where to eat dinner plus deck chairs isn’t my cup of tea. Before we decided on the cruise line, I already had the feeling, “Stop this boat, I want to get off.”

Having come to the conclusion that people shouldn’t take out their own appendix, it was time to consult someone who knew the ins and outs of cruise vacations and could negotiate the best price — plus get us to our destination and back — which might have been a challenge during this past December’s weather nightmares. Not to mention, we were flying during the time when North Korea was flexing its military muscles.

“Hello Susan,” at Imperial American Express Travel Services. We were quickly labeled her “PITAs” (pain in the derrière clients) because of the number of emails generated. Rather — I. We had to give her some criteria. Toby (my friend) and I were pretty flexible. We could go anywhere as long as it would be an experience. Our dates weren’t set in stone. Nor were the number of days we wanted to be aboard.

Ultimately, we opted  for South-East Asia since we both love that part of the world and had traveled there twice together. We wanted to return there before it becomes the world of Buddhist and Hindu temples and casinos.

But which ship? It couldn’t be too big because we didn’t want to have to board tenders to get into ports. We didn’t want to be on a cruise with lots of children, or one that required dressing in our finest for dinner each night. Two single women can present a challenge. On the plus side, splitting the cost of a cabin helps when you’re signing up and on for an expensive cruise.

A main selling point of cruises is you don’t have to get up and go each and every second. Nor do you have to pack and unpack each day. If you’re tired and need to relax, it may be precisely what the doctor ordered.

I was in Washington, DC, and Toby was in NY. Since we wanted to fly half way around the world together, we met at Kennedy and flew to Seoul on Asiana Airlines before heading to Hong Kong, where we boarded The Seabourn Pride. If you’re a cruise aficionado, this is among the  ”best” of the small cruise ships. Crew members know your name the minute you board (O.K., they have cheat sheets with your photos – but still) and immediately make you feel as if you’re part of the Seabourn family.

How they’re able to turn around a ship in a matter of hours and start the performance again, where they make the newly boarded guests feel as if they’re “old friends,” will remain a mystery to me. To be truthful, names are my downfall even though I remember faces.

The ship holds just over 200 passengers and is small enough to anchor places larger vessels can’t. Sound good? It was.

In addition, everything, with the exception of land excursions, the spa, beauty appointments and some especially expensive wines, (including tips) is included in the price. As a result, there aren’t any nasty surprises and major credit card bills when disembarking.

Are there negatives? Hate to sound like a complainer, but the answer is yes. One is when a ship isn’t able to dock near a destination, which might be on your “to see” list. This was the case when we made our first stop in Vietnam. There was a land excursion to Hanoi but there was no way it was worth the effort to get there and back and see anything, since we were in port for only one day. We opted out of spending eight hours in a van to be able to see the city for only a few hours. Off I went to a nearby beach area where I located a cyber-cafe and some sea pearls.

Not only do I love Hanoi’s architecture but its history is so rich that if I hadn’t spent five days there last year, I would have been one unhappy camper if I’d only been there for a fast and easy tour.

After doing some research, I realized it would have been substantially less expensive if we’d booked a local tour company, and specifically designed trips that pleased us and hadn’t been subjected to waiting for others or had to endure “shopping opportunities.”  I’ve taken enough tours in developing countries that I’ve learned that when you stop at a workshop where the guide steers you, more than the vendor has his or her hand out. If I go with a native, I have the driver/guide negotiate with the proviso we split the savings.

Cruising on a first rate ship offers so many advantages and I spent a lot of time polling the other passengers about their criteria when booking cruises. I was amazed by the answers that varied from soup to nuts. Some people are company-loyal while others go according to the destination. Other people choose a ship because of the food, wine and selection of liquor and are cruising to cruise and the hell with the destination.

By the end of the two-week cruise, I felt as if I could write an article about the different cruise lines, what they offer and not, why someone prefers one over another and more. And I discovered an amazing new fact — some people never leave the ship.

As one passenger said, “You must be a journalist or doing a market study for a competitive cruise company.” I’ll admit to the former. Since my return, I’ve been looking at cruise brochures and have come to the conclusion some trips are for me while others definitely aren’t.

The main thing is I learned was a lot about myself and that there are some topics that one should not to be discussed. In addition, by no means, does everyone like France. Let’s not go there. It’s not good for my blood pressure.