Come join the conversation at my new site:

www.jetsette.com

See you there!

(Photo by Virtual Photography Studio)

Expedia.com recently conducted a survey that indicates that about one-third of Americans do not take all the vacation days they are allotted each year. In addition, of all the countries surveyed, Americans received the fewest number of vacation days annually. The results:

The Expedia.com survey concludes:

Many U.S. employed adults may not be making full use of their vacation days and may not be getting sufficient time away from work. A substantial minority may be sacrificing vacation time for work. And more than one in four employed adults have trouble coping with stress from work at some point in the vacation cycle.

This isn’t shocking news to me. My own husband has about a month’s worth of vacation days saved up that he’s been unable to redeem over the past few years. It’s hard to get away from work these days, particularly with layoffs meaning that most employees now have an increased work load and are consumed with appearing vital to their organizations. Still, everyone needs some days off occasionally. Here’s hoping that Americans will, at some point, get adequate vacation time and be allowed to use it.

(Photo of The Twelve Apostles, Australia by Kevgibbo)

When I’m planning a trip, I like to read books set in that destination before I leave. I peruse guide books, of course, but it’s also fun to immerse myself in fiction and nonfiction set in the country I’ll be visiting. It gives me a bit of extra knowledge, history and perspective on my destination. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been exploring someplace new and gotten a little thrill when stumbling across a street, café or landmark I recognize from a story that I have read. I thought I would make some reading suggestions for various destinations, starting off with Australia.

There are great bargains to be found on plane tickets to Australia right now. Head over to FareCompare.com and check out the options. Round trip flights from LAX to Melbourne this fall can be had starting at $572. JFK to Melbourne starts at $706. United Airlines, Qantas and V Australia are all offering fare specials that cannot be beat. Snap up tickets to a land down under, and then pick up some of these titles before you depart.

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
One of the world’s best and most beloved travel writers, Bryson has written a hilarious and insightful memoir of his travels throughout Australia, a country “where A-bombs go off unnoticed, prime ministers disappear into the surf, and cheery citizens coexist with the world’s deadliest creatures.” (Amazon.com)

Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey into Australia by Roff Smith
The author chronicles his bicycle trip through Australia in this observant and very readable book. An American journalist, he’d been living in Oz for fourteen years before realizing how little he actually knew about the country. The people he meets and the conditions he encounters are quite memorable.

True History of the Kelly Gang: A Novel by Peter Carey
Peter Carey is one of Australia’s great authors and any of his books make for great reading. His novel Oscar and Lucinda won the Booker Prize (and has been made into a movie starring Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett) and another, Illywhacker, was short listed for the same honor. A True History of the Kelly Gang is an epic and compelling story of Australia’s best-known outlaw, Ned Kelly. He was Australia’s Jesse James, a figure who continues to live large in the country’s imagination. This book gives great insight into rural Australian communities in the mid-1800s, Irish settlers in Australia and of course, the fabled outlaw himself.

The Future Eaters: An Ecological History of the Australasian Lands and People by Tim Flannery
Flannery, a scientist at the Australian Museum in Sydney, writes about the origins of Australia and its flora and fauna. It’s an ecological history, detailing the separation of Australasia, the evolution of plant and animal species and the impact human settlement has had upon the environment.

The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin
In this novel, Chatwin presents “reflections on the distinctions between settled people and wanderers, and between human aggression and pacifism, as he searches central Australia for the pathways along which aborigines travel to perform their cultural activities.” (Amazon.com)

The White Earth by Andrew McGahan
This novel has been immensely popular in Australia, where it won the Miles Franklin Prize for Best Novel of 2004. McGahan tells the tale of a eight year old boy in contemporary times who is sent to live on his uncle’s farm in Western Australia after the death of his father. This is juxtaposed with his uncle’s attempt to resist the Native Title laws which would return lands to the Aborigines. It’s a powerful tale about the psyche of a nation and the horrors it has inflicted upon its native people.

The Secret River by Kate Grenville
This historical novel, set in early 1800s Australia, “is the story of Grenville’s ancestors, who wrested a new life from the alien terrain of Australia and its native people.” (Amazon.com). It describes early Australian settlement and the struggle of an Englishman to survive in this foreign land.

A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia and The Great Shame: And the Triumph of the Irish in the English-Speaking World by Thomas Keneally
Keneally is most famous for being the author of Schindler’s List, but he has a number of other, outstanding titles to his name. Australian born and raised, Keneally has written two of the best books in print about the forced emigration of Irish citizens to Australia in the late 1700s and the 1800s. (Also recommended: The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia’s Founding by Robert Hughes) The Great Shame explores the agony of those forcibly and permanently separated from their families in Ireland, often for minor offenses against the British crown, and relates the struggles of Keneally’s own ancestors upon their arrival in Australia. A Commonwealth of Thieves delves into the founding of Australia, the mixing of Irish and British on the island and the fate of the Aboriginal people in their wake.

Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
Winton is one of Australia’s most famous contemporary novelists, with a great body of work to his name. Cloudstreet is one of his most acclaimed titles. Set just after World War II, the story revolves around two very different families sharing a house near Perth, in Western Australia.

I recently received an email from a reader about travel tipping etiquette. It’s an interesting topic, and one that I think is a subject of confusion and frustration for many travelers. Her letter reads:

Dear Erin,

We just got back from a three day trip to Niagara Falls, after not having been on a vacation for YEARS. I was wondering, when did tipping get so out of control? I could not believe how many different people we were supposed to tip and I never had any idea how much was appropriate.

People we tipped at the hotel included the valet parking attendants (valet parking was required and cost $20 daily, plus tip), the server at the daily breakfast buffet (she brought drinks), the bartender at the daily “manager’s reception” (where we each received a free drink daily), the maid, the bellman , the front desk staff (they actually had fishbowl tip “jars” set out so they could be tipped for checking you in and out) and the staff at the tour desk. We had no idea how much to tip for most of these, so we made wild guesses. Do you have any advice for future trips?

Thanks, Brittney

First of all, I would like to note that I do not think a tip jar on the hotel’s front desk is appropriate and any hotel that allows this should be embarrassed. The front desk employees are paid a salary and do not survive on tips, like waiters and valet attendants. This goes for the concierge and tour desk employees, as well. You never need to tip desk attendants. If someone goes above and beyond for you, particularly in the case of a concierge, then a gratuity handed directly to that individual is nice, but not strictly required. The problem with a tip jar is that you never know who is going to get that money and how it will be divided. Skip the jar and hand out tips only to the person assisting you.

(Continue reading below)

The other people you mention, the waiters, maids, bellmen and valet attendants should be tipped.  For advice on how much to tip, let’s refer to the suggestions made by etiquette queen Emily Post.  She recommends the following:

Doorman
$1-$2 for carrying luggage
$1-$2 for hailing cab
$1-$4 beyond the call of duty

Bellhop
$2 first bag, $1 per additional bag

Housekeeper
$2-$5 per day, left daily

Concierge
$5 for tickets or reservations, $10 if hard to get; no need to tip for answering questions

Taxi driver
15% plus an extra $1-$2 if helped with bags

Hotels.com has an even longer and more inclusive list of appropriate tipping practices at hotels.  Some of their recommendations include:

Valet
$1-$2 to the attendant retrieving your car. Tipping when they park the car is optional.

Buffet Servers
$1-$2 per person dining. Lean toward the higher end if they bring you drinks.

Waitstaff
15-20% of the bill, excluding tax and expensive wine. Many restaurants automatically add a 15% gratuity for parties of six or more, so check the menu. You can add another 5% for exceptional service.

Room Service
In most hotels, a gratuity of 12-15% is already included in the price of your order (check the menu). Tipping extra is OK, particularly if the person delivering the order takes extra care to set up your meal

They also offer an entire primer on tipping the mail, including how much to tip, when and where to leave the tip and what to do if service is not up to par.

The simple way to get around some of this is to not make use of the services that require tipping.  When at all possible, I self-park, carry my own bags and use the internet to research and book my own activities.  However, tips for those who provide you a service are necessary.  Don’t stiff the maid or the valet attendant.  These people work hard for very little money and they rely on tips to help them get by.  The best way to approach the issue is to mentally include the costs of tipping when you book your trip.  Figure that you’re going to spend perhaps an extra $25 to $50 in gratuities at the hotel and factor that into the price of your room when booking. Bring along cash to make the process easier.

What do you think, readers?  I’d be interested in hearing your stories and opinions about tipping on the road.

(Photo courtesty of XShot)

My first visit to Paris was an impromptu business trip. Due to meetings scheduled throughout the day, my only sightseeing time was very early in the morning. This worked out fine, owing to my extreme jet lag, but I encountered a couple of frustrations. (1) It’s really, really cold before the sun comes up in Paris in March. (2) It was my first time in Paris. I wanted a photo of myself in front of the Eiffel Tower, cheesy as that may be, but there was no one around to take it for me. I spent considerable time trying to balance my camera on ledges and benches to get a shot of myself. Sadly, this was before digital cameras, so I wasted a lot of film trying to get a decent photo.

We’ve all been in that situation as travelers. You’re alone or somewhere remote and can’t find anyone to take a photo for you. That’s why, when I saw the XShot Camera Extender I thought it was a terribly clever and useful product. It’s similar to a tripod, but quicker to set up and more compact to carry. Simply attach your digital camera to the XShot Camera Extender, set your self-timer, extend the device and get your shot. The XShot Camera Extender is lightweight and easy to control. It allows you to get that photo without having to ask others to help. Obviously, this is not the product for you if you use a larger, heavy camera. The XShot has a weight limit of 1.25 lbs., so it coordinates perfectly with, say, a Canon Powershot or Sony Cybershot.  If you’re traveling solo, this is definitely the accessory for you.

On July 4th, the Statue of Liberty’s crown will reopen to the public after nearly eight years of closure. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the crown was closed to the public due to safety concerns. The lack of access to one of the highest points of this American icon has been a sore point for tourists and New York residents for years. New York Representative Anthony Weiner took on the issue as a personal crusade and fought long and hard to restore public access to the crown. Its reopening is a victory for him and a welcome development for the thousands of tourists who will flock to see Lady Liberty this summer.

There will be restrictions on the number of people allowed to climb to the crown. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says that in the next two years, before the statue is closed for renovation, 50,000 people will be allowed to visit the crown in groups of ten at a time. It’s not clear whether there will be some sort of reservation system or lottery to determine which visitors will have the honor of reaching the crown.

The copper-clad statue, one of the most iconic of American images, was unveiled in 1886. Visiting it is something of a rite of passage for many American school children and anyone who has climbed its many stairs will smile at the memory. My parents, brothers and I visited the Statue of Liberty in 1984 during summer vacation. I have a vivid memory of steps that seemed to go on forever, curling upward out of view. We didn’t make it to the crown that day, my brothers and I being awfully young to climb that high, but we did reach the viewing platform at the pedestal and were able to gaze out across the water at New York City. It’s an experience you don’t forget.

If you’re planning a trip this summer, check out the National Park Service’s website for visitor info.

The Travelers: Varsha and her cousin Anjali

The Trip: Four days in Madrid, Spain with a day trip to Toledo. Then, three days in Lisbon, Portugal with a day trip to Sintra.

Varsha answered some questions about her travels for What A Trip:

WAT: Why did you choose this destination?
V: My cousin came across very cheap tickets to Madrid from the Washington, DC area. Since our husbands didn’t want to go we decided to go ourselves. We got our vacations approved from our bosses and we booked the tickets ($450 per person). I then looked around online and found hotels for under $100 a night in both these cities. Suddenly we had a trip!

WAT: How did you book your trip?
V: We booked our airfare directly with US Airways on their website www.usairways.com. We booked our hotels for Madrid on hotels.com and Lisbon was booked via Marriott’s website.

WAT: What were your favorite sights during the trip?
V: Madrid was bustling with people who were out till the wee hours of the morning. Toledo was just breathtaking, Lisbon simply gorgeous. The river Tagus and the Atlantic Ocean meeting was an awesome sight and Sintra was very historic and bought back memories of an old world where things were simple and elegant and peaceful.

WAT: What were some of the most memorable moments on the trip?
V: Shopping in Madrid, visiting all the various museums and doing the day trips to smaller cities nearby.

WAT: Do you have advice for others planning travel to this part of the world?
V: Pack light. Madrid is very easily accessible via metro but the metro stations in many places have a LOT of stairs! Travel light also because there is a lot of shopping and souvenir collecting to do and you’ll have new things to bring home. Lisbon is a very hilly city and you should be prepared to walk uphill a lot. Also, don’t spend a lot on a hotel. We barely spent any time in the hotel rooms. Just make sure the hotels are center city to make the most of what these destinations have to offer. Also, go with a plan. This is the easiest and most efficient way to travel in Europe in general. Plan what you want to see in advance and mostly likely you will get there since you budgeted time for it early on. We carried cash in US Dollars and were glad we did. We got great conversion rates in Spain and Portugal and saved on ATM and other fees involved. Talk to the locals and make friends. We found an Irish pub in Plaza Mayor in Madrid and made friends with the bartenders. They gave us the scoop on what was going on in the city and what areas were fun to visit. This helped us significantly since local knowledge is unbeatable. Have a fun European adventure!

Varsha shared some photos from her trip.  You can see them below.

We all like to travel. We like it even more when it’s free. There are several contests online right now which promise just that: free trips. Check them out!

Alaska Wildland Adventures is giving away an 8-day trip to Alaska for up to four people. You simply need to enter their essay contest before May 22.
First Prize Winner receives 8-Day Alaska Wildland Adventure for up to 4 participants inclusive of all meals, ground transportation, guided services and gratuities as noted in itinerary; airfare to Alaska not included, alcoholic beverages and other incidentals also not included. Features stays at Kenai Riverside Lodge, Kenai Backcountry Lodge, and the new Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge; trip valued at over $12,000. No purchase necessary. Trip may be taken in 2009 or 2010. Contest Details.

The Curacao Tourist Board is giving away seventy trips to the Caribbean island of Curacao. You can enter online every day until May 23.
A trip for winner and a guest to Curacao. Trip consists of roundtrip, coach-class air transportation from a major gateway airport nearest winners residence to Curacao and five (5) days and four (4) nights’ standard hotel accommodations (one (1) room, double occupancy). Retail Value (ARV): US$3,000 each. Travel arrangements must be made through Sponsors agent on a carrier of Sponsors choice thirty (30) days prior to travel. Trip must be taken by December 31, 2009. Contest Details.

Aluxurytravelblog.com has partnered with Hyatt to give away five free 1-night stays at any Hyatt hotel in the world. The person who posts the most comments on the blog in the month of May will be the lucky winner.
The five readers with the most approved comments during May 2009 will each receive a free night at a Hyatt hotel of their choosing… anywhere in the world. Contest Details.

And of course, don’t forget about the big Conde Nast Traveler photo contest I mentioned here a couple of weeks ago. The contest ends on July 31.

(Photo by arunar)

Goa is located on the western coast of Indian peninsula in the region known as the Konkan. It is the smallest state in India, but also its wealthiest and one of its most popular tourist destinations. Each year, hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists come to the region to visit its beaches, temples and world heritage architecture. It also has rich flora and fauna due to its location near the Western Ghats mountain range, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. The Western Ghats are home to more than 1800 plant species and 330 different kinds of butterflies.

In 1510, the Portuguese defeated the ruling kings of the area and established a permanent settlement in Goa. The area was also briefly occupied by the British during the Napoleonic Wars. When Indian achieved its independence in 1947, the Portuguese refused to give up their settlements in and around Goa. These had to be forcibly taken by the Indian armed forces in 1961. Today, Goa is a modern and thriving area with much industry and culture.

Originally constructed around 1560, Sri Mangesh temple at Mangueshi is dedicated to the deity of Lord Shiva. Its structure has evolved over the years, with much of the present building being constructed in the 1600s, and it is now one of the most visited temples in all of Goa. The temple is small yet ornate and contains all the elements typical of a Hindu temple, including mini shrines, grand towers and spacious courtyards. The legend associated with the temple is that Shiva’s wife, the goddess Parvati, was frightened by her husband disguised as a tiger on this spot. The words she uttered in terror, “Trahi Mam Girisha” (in English, “Protect me, Lord of mountains”) subsequently were shortened to “Mangirisha” or “Mangueshi,” which this the modern day name of this location.

(Photo by juicyverve)

Today kicks off the 26th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week. The celebration, running from May 9th to the 17th, is dedicated to promoting (what else?) travel and will be commemorated with pro-travel rallies taking place all across America. More than likely, you had no idea there was such a thing as National Travel and Tourism Week. To be honest, neither did I. You learn something new every day, right? National Travel and Tourism Week is sponsored by the U.S. Travel Association and focuses on getting Americans out to see domestic sights like National Parks, historic locations and amusement parks. The U.S. Travel Association’s website states that they also hope to help Americans “recognize the cultural and social benefits created by travel and tourism.”

The timing of this event really couldn’t be better. The weather is warming up, summer is fast approaching, and millions of Americans are sitting in their cubicles or stuck in city traffic dreaming of a peaceful beach and being somewhere, anywhere other than here. The American summer vacation is a time-honored ritual. While we don’t get the whole month of August to decamp to the coast, like so many Europeans, most of us get a week of vacation time and right about now we are dying to use it. The slight wrinkle in the plan this year is certainly the economy. Everyone seems to be short of cash, worried about their employment and not feeling particularly frivolous. The word “staycation” is on everyone’s lips. Whether you’re planning to stick close to home this year or are lucky enough to be heading out to more exotic locales, check out some of the National Travel and Tourism Week activities that are coming to a city near you. Your local visitor’s bureau or convention center will have information about local events.

The trips I have planned this summer fit in perfectly with National Travel and Tourism Week’s emphasis on American travel. While I’d certainly love to be running off to Bora Bora or The Bahamas, this year I’ll be staying closer to home. I’ve got a quick trip to Louisville scheduled in June and am planning to spend some time in New England in late summer. Where will your vacation plans take you?