City Escapes TripTips

Hotel review - Hilton Moorea, French Ploynesia

2012-01-20T11:03:00.001-08:00

Five stars out of five

This has got to be my favorite Hilton property. It is a resort with bungalows instead of normal hotel rooms, nestled in a lagoon on the north side of Moorea – a small island just off of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Extremely nice rooms, even if you do not splurge for the overwater bungalows. And the staff is fantastic – always happy to help with anything you need.

We pre-arranged transport to the hotel from the ferry dock. The hotels are not allowed to run their own shuttles, but they are allowed to arrange transportation for you through the local taxi companies. This cost about half the price of a regular taxi, however, there were plenty of taxis available when the ferry arrived, so we could have taken one of those if we did not have the shuttle waiting.

Another advantage of arranging transport through the hotel was that they knew when we were coming. As a result, the check-in process was amazingly smooth. The room was even ready early, so we could head straight over and freshen up – very nice since our flight arrived in Papeete at 6:00am.

While overwater bungalows are available, they cost a little more than our budget would support, so we ended up on land. That was not a bad thing, however, since we were upgraded to a suite – essentially two bungalow rooms together. This gave us two full baths, a full-sized living room area and a huge bedroom. The on-shore bungalows also come standard with a private balcony and small pool.

The hotel tries to be environmentally friendly – they make extensive use of solar panels for hot water and power. They also have a switch, triggered by your hotel key, that turns off almost all power when you leave the room (and take your key). Frequent travelers should note that they do abide by their stated policy of only taking towels left in the tubs (as opposed to many hotels where they take everything even if you rehang the towels). The towels were not always replaced immediately, but we never ran out. We received 2 complimentary bottles of water each night we were there, even though the hotel says that it will only provide bottled water on arrival.

The hotel has a full range of amenities, including:

· 2 restaurants (1 for breakfast, 1 for lunch; both serve dinner) plus 2 bars which also serve food

· A large swimming pool

· Free kayaking and snorkeling equipment

· Drinkable water (not common on Moorea)

· 2 American-style power outlets in each bungalow (no need for adapters)

· An activities desk that has a set of pre-selected activities available for purchase and a concierge that will help arrange pretty much anything else

· Weekdays at 4:00, by the pool, there is a short, complementary demonstration of a specific aspect of Tahitian culture – ranging from husking coconuts to creating a lei.

The local lagoon has some decent, if not world-class snorkeling and is shallow enough that beginners can feel comfortable in the area. We saw puffer fish, tangs, angels, gar, and many others – as well as a lot of urchins. There is also a public beach about 1 km from the hotel that has even better snorkeling Though we didn't see any, there are also stonefish and other creatures that can ruin your day in this part of the South Pacific, so water-goers should watch where they step and be careful to only look, not touch (and if you are walking in the water, shuffle your feet so you will nudge fish not step on them).

Something to watch for: black-tipped reef sharks congregate around the crepe restaurant (on the pier) after dark. It is magical watching their sleek bodies swim through the lights. Definitely worth staying up for.

The restaurants are expensive, as one would expect. Breakfast is served as a buffet and has a nice selection of hot and cold items, however it will run you about 3.500 PF (approximately 37 USD) per person if it is not included in your room package. For dinner, the main courses begin at approximately 2750 PF each with drinks ranging from 450 – 1300 PF (soda to cocktail). There is a special Polynesian dinner buffet and show on Saturdays (7000 PF / person) which is expensive but definitely worth the money – the buffet has a huge selection of seafood items and the show contains some interesting components that are atypical of “normal” Polynesian shows. (It should be noted that the price of the dinner buffet does not include any beverages.).

Hotel review - The Cardinal Hotel in Palo Alto

2012-01-20T10:58:00.001-08:00

2 stars out of 5 (do not recommend)

I stayed in this hotel as part of a group business trip to Stanford in Dec 2011.

The hotel is well located, just off of University Ave in Palo Alto, easily within walking distance to Stanford and close to a number of good restaurants and coffee shops.

The Cardinal Hotel is a boutique hotel stuck in the 1920s, when it was originally built.

This means that the hotel has a beautiful sweeping lobby that welcomes people into the building and is perfect for meeting friends. There is also a single elevator servicing the hotel, with an old-style double door (you have to manually slide the outer door open yourself when the elevator appears). While the elevator is quaint and adds atmosphere, it is slightly inconvenient if you are trying to maneuver large bags into the small entrance. Unfortunately, this hotel has more problems than advantages. My major concerns:

Some of the rooms have a shared bathroom. Further, they don’t tell you in advance whether you will get one of these rooms. If you are looking for a dorm room or a budget hotel, that is ok, but for those of us who expect privacy given the prices this is totally unacceptable. As a business traveler, I have never stayed in a hotel that expects me to share a bathroom.
The windows are single pane windows that do absolutely nothing to block either sound or outside temperatures. You can clearly hear every conversation or vehicle on the street below, which can interfere with a good night’s sleep. Given the hotel is at the corner of two fairly busy intersections, this is a major problem if you actually have to get up in the morning.
There is a single source of heat in the rooms (and no cooling) – a water radiator. While I don’t really care whether the heat is from air or water, I am concerned that there is no thermostat associated with the radiator. That means that you have to get up in the middle of the night to manually turn the heat on and off to adjust the temperature within the room. Unacceptable.
There is no parking. None. At all. There is a public lot a half a block away and street parking a couple of blocks away, but the hotel has absolutely no parking associated with it. When I asked about this, I was told, “We are downtown.” Well, having stayed in hotels in downtown San Francisco, Washington DC, San Jose, Seattle, and many other cities, this is an excuse not a reason. For whatever cause, the hotel has chosen not to develop any parking or provide a valet service for their guests. Unacceptable.
The hotel uses keys instead of card locks. While this is not, in and of itself, a problem, the fact that the doors do not close – much less lock – behind you is a significant security and fire concern. It has been so long since I have been in a hotel that does not have this basic security feature, I thought it was code. Apparently not. Combine that with the fact that other than a single, extremely old deadbolt, there is no way to secure the door from the inside and you have a place that you want to avoid if you are security conscious.

Other minor inconveniences:

The rooms are small. Not horribly small, but having to shoehorn yourself into a small room, with a double bed, is not what I would expect for a decent business-oriented room. For example, there is a single small shelf in the bathroom that is not sufficient to hold all standard toiletries, and if you sit at the desk, you back into the bed.
The internet does not work reliably. Some members of our party had significant problems maintaining a connection when trying to email moderate sized files. This was ultimately resolved by using a different network connection at a different business..
The hotel staff appeared hurried and disengaged when we tried to obtain information. It is almost as if they felt they have better things to do than answer customer questions. They also don’t have a concierge available at any time during the day to help address questions / concerns.

In my mind, any one of my serious concerns is reason enough to not stay here – unless you are trying to save money (although the hotel is not particularly inexpensive)- and I would strongly encourage people to consider alternate accommodations.

Hotel Review: The DoubleTree Arctic Club Hotel in Seattle, WA

2011-06-18T12:35:00.001-07:00

5 Stars

Full of elegant charm and friendly, helpful staff, the DoubleTree Arctic Club Hotel is a welcoming place for the traveler to Seattle. Located close to the city’s center, the Arctic Club is within easy walking distance to many restaurants, museums, and Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market. The elegantly understated interior is designed to evoke the ambiance of early 20^th century exploration and is replete with portraits of Arctic explorers, maps of the Northwest Passage, and stately chairs and tables reminiscent of the era. Just past the lobby is the Polar Bar, which perfectly exemplifies the hotel’s desire to provide luxury without taking itself too seriously. The Polar Bar, full of deep, comfortable chairs, cloth napkins and polished silver, has a drunken polar bear as its emblem.

Our room, though small, was very well appointed. Many amenities were incorporated into the room, including some that we had never before seen in a hotel room. As well as such common things as a coffee maker, hair dryer and ice bucket, we found tea, a loose tea strainer, and a French press. In addition to the large flat screen television, there was a DVD player and a stereo system complete with CD player. The writing desk was stocked with such office basics as a stapler, scotch tape, scissors, rubber bands and a calculator – no need to go to the office center. Robes and a safe awaited us in the closet, as well as a large umbrella (this is Seattle, after all).

The mini-bar was fully stocked with an array of beverages from champagne to sodas to fruit juices, and there was a basket of snacks that included an impressive array of choices. To their credit, the hotel made it clear that these items were not included in the cost of the room, but did so in an unobtrusive manner (again, their elegant understatement came through). Upon check-in, we were told that we could empty out the mini-bar to make room for anything that we might want to keep refrigerated, a welcome change from the old-style mini-bars that automatically charge you if anything inside is moved.

The bathroom was surprisingly roomy, and was designed for comfort and class. The towels were plush and thick, the bathtub jetted. A marble countertop graced the vanity, which had ample storage underneath. The bathroom door was charming, and included a frosted pane in the upper half. This proved to be one of the very few drawbacks, as it allowed light to spill into the main room (only an issue when one of us was in bed before the other).

The staff was extremely courteous and knowledgeable about the area. We were given many wonderful recommendations regarding everything from where to dine to modes of transportation to things to see and do. When they discovered that I was on a hunt for one particular item, the front desk staff took it upon themselves to call three different stores that they thought might carry it, and they checked with me upon my return to the hotel that evening to ensure that my quest had been successful. The housekeeping staff, too, was wonderfully warm, courteous and thorough; our room was kept in tip-top shape throughout our stay.

Many small details were attended to that really distinguish this hotel as a top-notch place to stay: a hand-written note welcoming us to our room, a variety of teas (not just black, but green and herbal as well), warm cookies upon our arrival. Overall, we were quite impressed with this hotel, and we would definitely stay here again.

City Escapes Nature Photography

The Many Advantages of Off-Season Park Exploration

2011-03-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

I freely admit that I am an unabashed supporter of national and state parks. I was introduced to state parks as a child when my family went camping and fishing, and to national parks at the age of 13 on a whirlwind, family tour of some of the West’s most famous parks: The Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Sequoia, Yellowstone. I have been hooked ever since, and have been fortunate enough to be able to visit a variety of parks in several seasons, not just peak tourist season. This has only increased my affection for these parks.

For many people, especially families with school-aged children, one of the constraints on travel opportunities is the school calendar. Summer is a big travel season precisely because the kids are out of school. The weather is often nicer in the summer, too. These two factors combine to cram large numbers of visitors to the parks in a relatively short time frame. But if you have the opportunity to visit our glorious parks in the off-season, I highly recommend it. Here’s why.

First of all, most of the parks will be considerably less crowded during the off-season. After all, you visit these beautiful oases to enjoy nature and the outdoors, not throngs of other people. Yellowstone and Yosemite, for example, can become parking lots in the height of summer (and not just because of animal jams); traveling through them can cause more stress than it relieves. Especially if you are a crowd-averse person, you will enjoy the parks immensely more during the less popular times of year. Because of the decreased demand, lodging, airfare, and rental cars are generally less expensive during the off-season, sometimes considerably so. Even shifting your plans by as little as a week can sometimes make a huge difference in the overall cost of your trip. (My husband and I saved approximately $900 each on plane tickets a few years ago by shifting our departure date by a single day. That one day took us out of summer season rates and put us into off-season rates.) And, of course, gasoline is generally at its most expensive during the high-travel season, namely summer.

My favorite reason to visit parks in the off-season, however, is that you get to experience the park in ways that most people do not. There is no question that the red rock formations of southern Utah, for example, are gorgeous – anyone who has seen a photograph of them is bound to be struck by the colors of the rocks. Seeing those same rocks capped with snow, however, is an entirely different experience altogether. Watching the bison in Yellowstone graze on the plentiful grasses of summertime can lead a visitor to think these majestic animals have it pretty easy. When the temperature hovers around zero and you are in near white-out conditions caused by an icy wind whipping across the landscape, however, and you watch these same animals push aside three or four feet of snow with their heads to get to the meager scraps of grass below, you go back to your cozy hotel room amazed that any of them survive the winter at all. And you are thankful for your warm dinner in a way that you could never be in the summer.

Sometimes snow is not the biggest off-season weather change, though; many parts of the country do not get snow on any regular basis. In these areas, the off-season sometimes means rain. While rain requires its own preparations, it can be fantastic; rain can completely alter the mood of a landscape. Waterfalls in the rain are some of my favorite things to photograph, in part because it is something we so rarely see; most waterfall photographs are taken on beautiful, sunny days. The moodiness of a waterfall in the rain is something few people experience, and it captivates me.

The off-season does not automatically mean bad weather, however. Bright, gorgeous, sunny days happen in winter, too, and they can lend a compelling energy to a park visit. Crisp, cool days with bright blue skies are at the heart of the concept of the “winter wonderland,” and that concept is not restricted to ski resorts.

If you’re not interested in the cold or getting rained or snowed on, however, then the spring and the fall are your seasons. The landscape comes alive in spring with new plant life, while rivers and lakes are often at their fullest. If it’s early enough in the season, the bugs have not yet become a problem, while in late fall they are no longer a problem. Fall ushers back in the cool weather and the brilliant palettes of autumn leaves. In some parts of the country, both spring and fall bring with them much more comfortable – and safer – temperatures than summer, as well. The Grand Canyon and similar parks get dangerously hot in the summer, with the mercury soaring well into the 120s or above in some of the canyons. Hikers frequently underestimate either the heat or its effect on their bodies, routinely getting themselves into trouble. Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death are not uncommon. Visiting the Canyon in the spring or fall can greatly reduce the dangers of heat-related illness. (Be sure to check with the visitor center in any canyon-containing park if you plan to hike, however. Find out if the park has flash-flood prone areas, and what the weather forecast will be. Slot canyons are gorgeous and much more fun to hike in cooler weather, but can turn deadly quickly in rainstorms.)

If animals are your thing, the off-season offers wonders that you will likely not get during the summer. Many species give birth during the spring, meaning that your best opportunity to see baby animals at their youngest is during this time. Be patient and keep a sharp eye; youngsters are often quite well camouflaged. The fall brings the rutting season for many ungulates, and while you want to give them a wide berth, watching the males vie for mating rights is nothing if not impressive (in a painful, sympathetic-headache inducing way). And in winter, you may get a glimpse of the real reason moose have such long, spindly legs. (Hint: it’s not just to make them look funny.) Add to that the burst of spring flowers, the brilliance of fall foliage, or the surreal blanket of winter’s white, and you will have an experience quite different from, but no less extraordinary than, one in the height of summer.

Jodi

City Escapes Nature Photography

Hotel Review: Hilton Houston North

2011-03-07T18:40:00.001-08:00

Visited: Feb 2011

1 star

This hotel has a wonderful lobby with a huge atrium and decent-sized guest rooms. There are two restaurants and a Starbucks on the main floor, and several good-sized conference rooms are available. So, what’s not to love? Unfortunately, a lot. Pretty much everything about the service was disappointing during my visit. Things started off poorly and did not get much better. The hotel is 15 minutes from the Houston Bush Intercontinental airport, but it took me an hour to get there using the free shuttle bus, “which runs every 30 minutes.” Except that it didn’t, it was late, and then, after boarding, it was full and we had to wait for 15 minutes while the shuttle driver explained to the next group of passengers at the next stop that there were no seats on the shuttle and he couldn’t pick up more people (as opposed to actually dropping us off and returning to pick them up – or using the larger shuttle in the first place). There were 2 people at reception checking in a line of about 15 people, so the wait was longer than it should have been. Fortunately, I was able to get into the restaurant 15 minutes before it closed (at 11:00 pm, along with room service) and order my $12 hamburger, which was ok but not outstanding. My room was a good size; however it was not particularly clean. There was mold on the bathroom floor in the grout lines, where it was obviously not disturbed by the cleaning people. I used a towel to keep it covered (I couldn’t change rooms since the hotel was full). The phone was not programmed properly (the buttons for messages and wake-up calls dialed but never connected), the air conditioning didn’t work well (the thermostat was off by about 10 degrees), and there was no fan in the bathroom (probably a contributing factor to the mold), so the room was a little warmer and more humid than it needed to be – particularly after a shower. The conference room, however, was freezing, so I guess it balanced out. Our meeting of 60 people overwhelmed the wireless connection, so I ended up using an air card connection for most of the meeting. I don’t understand how a hotel can charge so much for wireless and yet have no connectivity. Overall, the attitude of the staff seemed summed up by a single experience as I was checking out: I was on one side of the elevator with my bags, an open (empty?) can of Monster sitting on the rail on the opposite side. A member of the housekeeping staff got on the elevator next to the can, didn’t acknowledge me, went down 2 floors, and left the can sitting on the railing after she got off. Of course, no-one asked how the stay was when I left, even the 2 managers I passed with my bags – I have noticed only the well trained staff do that, and I usually don’t have problems in hotels with well-trained staff. One final note, if you are still considering staying at this hotel, be very, very careful at night. The hotel is located in a dangerous part of Houston, and you should never walk outside at night (I was told this by at least 3 people I trust who are familiar with the area, one of whom is a police officer). For better or worse, there aren’t any restaurants nearby that you would be likely to walk to, so you may have no reason to go outside. Nonetheless, be warned.

Hotel Review: Elizabeth Lake Lodge, Cranbrook, BC

2011-02-03T19:38:00.001-08:00

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Date of visit: Jan, 2011

This lodge has been a favorite on trip advisor for several years, and deservedly so. It embodies the best of a local inn. We stayed here twice, heading to and from our final destination, and were very impressed with this motel-style lodge. We were fortunate that others had sung its praises previously or we would have driven right by it.

One of the first things you notice, beyond the striking mural on the side of the building, is the location. The lodge is on the south side of Cranbrook, right next to a 250 acre bird sanctuary. While there were not a lot of birds during our visit (in the middle of winter), just having the view over the expanse of trees and Elizabeth Lake, instead of looking into another business, was a nice change. I imagine in the summer, it would be even better. There is also a miniature golf course on the premises, though it, too, was closed for the season.

The rooms were well-equipped with a miniature kitchen, a full size breakfast table, and duvets over the beds. The kitchenette was a nice surprise, and allowed us to easily make breakfast and reheat leftover dinner. My favorite feature, however, was the heated floors in the bathroom. Tile floors are common in bathrooms, and are always cold. The heated floors warm the tile so that it is not only not cold, but actually warm on your feet. This makes stepping out of the shower much nicer. The heated floors were also a great compliment to the dedicated bathroom heater that allowed the temperature in the bathroom to be set independent of the main sleeping area.

Other amenities included a 42” flat-screen TV, tea and tea kettle (it is Canada, after all), deck chairs outside, and custom soaps made especially for the Elizabeth Lake Lodge by a local soap company.

It is also worth mentioning that we were greeted enthusiastically on check in. On both occasions, we were met by George (one of the owners) who not only showed us a room before we committed to staying, but checked the weather and road conditions for the next leg of our drive, as well as provided multiple restaurant recommendations. George is clearly interested in providing the best accommodations in the area, and even asked us what amenities we have seen elsewhere that we have enjoyed. Clearly, he is not taking his high trip advisor rating for granted and is continuing to look for ways to enhance his guests’ experience.

If possible, I would give this lodge a 4.5. However, there are two, minor reasons I don’t believe this hotel rates a 5. The first is the request that the guests wash their own dishes (and as a small sign notes, they may be charged if they don’t). While I find this to be an unusual request, having never seen this before in anything but a condo, and I am not thrilled with it, I would be willing to go along with it given the other advantages of the lodge. However, I am very concerned about the sanitary aspects of this practice. Specifically, I have very little confidence that guests will do a thorough job cleaning the dishes, and that could lead to germs being passed along to the next visitor. Something as simple as a centralized dish washer that could sanitize the dishes (and not just make them look clean) would resolve this concern. The second issue is that the rooms do not appear to be particularly sound-resistant. It was fairly easy for us to hear other guests both above and near our rooms – more so than in many other hotels. Unfortunately, this problem is not something that is easy to resolve in the existing building. On the plus side, a second building is under construction, and is due to open in May. Hopefully, the insulation in this building will provide additional soundproofing.

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

Arctic Trip Tips 2 - Tips for Polar Regions

2011-01-21T19:17:00.000-08:00

Finally, our arctic cruise provided several insights that are primarily applicable for travel to the poles, or other cool climates where you may end up in zodiacs for an extended period of time.

1. Bring a second sweater or jacket. After a day out on zodiacs, or hiking in weather, it is really nice to have a clean, dry sweater or fleece jacket to be able to slip into to stay warm. I had originally planned to just take one jacket with me on this trip, and am extremely glad that I brought a second that I could use around the ship (in particular sightseeing from the deck) while the first jacket dried off. If I had only had the one jacket, I would have had to wear it before it dried and I would have been cold and miserable instead of warm and excited.

2. In Antarctica, take the longer trips. Make sure that your trip includes both the Falkland Islands and South Georgia as well as the Antarctic Peninsula. While the addition of these two locations will increase your time commitment as well as the cost, these are where most of the animals hang out. According to everyone we have talked to, both staff and more importantly fellow travelers, these locations are well worth it. The animals are plentiful, easily found, and not shy – providing ample opportunities for photography and general viewing. Since these animals are one of the primary reasons people visit the Antarctic, do not short change yourself by passing by these locations. In the grand scheme of things, the additional cost is well worth it (and much cheaper than going back a second time just to see what you missed).

3. Bring a dry bag. When travelling in a zodiac, you have to expect to get drenched. You may not, but you have to plan for it. And since this is salt water, which is corrosive, you need to really protect your equipment – losing a camera early on in the trip can be tragic. While you can use Ziploc bags, and general waterproof bags much of the time, I suggest bringing a dry bag along for those days when the sea is a little rougher. Using a large dry bag in addition to the other preventative measures can save you huge headaches (and repair bills). You can also stuff your extra hiking socks and a dry sweater into the bag, bonuses that your potentially cold and wet body will appreciate.

4. Use hand-warmers and foot-warmers. Obviously, the polar regions are cold, or at least cool, even during the summer season when the adventure travel cruises take place. While we dressed in layers, and were generally warm, we did find that when we went on zodiac cruises, our extremities got a little cold. On these cruises, which lasted up to 3 hours, there were minimal opportunities to move around – we were mainly just watching the scenery and wildlife from a fixed position. In this case, the warmers did their job exceptionally well. Now, someone just needs to develop a warming seat. J We were also glad to have the warmers on those few days when we had poor weather, our hikes were slower and shorter, and/or we didn’t generate enough internal heat to stay completely warm. During those hikes, the warmers were a nice addition.

5. Use dishwashing gloves as a waterproof layer. As previously mentioned, you need to expect to get wet on a zodiac. Even in relatively calm weather, your hands / gloves will get splashed as you hang on to the zodiac. Instead of having wet gloves after every excursion, place your glove or liner inside an oversized dishwashing glove. This will give you an outside layer that is waterproof, over an inside layer that keeps your hands warm. This may require stretching the dishwashing glove a little (I should be using a XXXL, but could only find an XL on short notice) but it is well worth it. While not stylish, we were the envy of many of the other travelers. Of course, if you do these excursions regularly, you may want to invest in gloves that are both truly waterproof and warm; however a good pair of these gloves can be quite expensive. For the rest of us, using dishwashing gloves is an excellent and much cheaper alternative.

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

Arctic Trip Tips 1 - General tips

2010-12-24T17:00:00.001-08:00

Many of the lessons we learnt (or re-learnt) on this trip are applicable to a wide variety of trips, so I have included all of those in this entry. A smaller set of tips, applicable primarily for polar excursions, will be included in the next post.

1. Motion sickness patch can cause motion sickness: The prescription patch for motion sickness is becoming extremely popular with travelers, since it provides excellent relief of symptoms without having to remember to take pills on a regular schedule. There are a couple of important things to be aware of, however, when using this medication. The first is that you may still experience some symptoms of sea sickness if the seas are particularly rough. This is not unexpected. The second is that if you wear the patch for more than three days, then suddenly remove the patch at the end of the voyage, you may end up feeling the symptoms of motion sickness (nausea, dizziness, etc.) a day or two after the patch has been removed while your body adjusts to the sudden removal of the drugs. This is a noted side effect of the medicine, but can still catch you by surprise – for example, if you are flying out a day or two after your voyage. Plan ahead, and adjust your medications appropriately.

2. Give yourself plenty of time before and after the trip to get where you need to go. Travel in general, and adventure travel in particular, does not run on a tight schedule. Flights, including charter flights, are often delayed; disembarking a ship can take more time than expected; bad weather can interrupt plans; and luggage can be temporarily misplaced. If you provide a little extra time at the start and end of your trip, these disruptions are less likely to impact you and you will be able to remain relaxed instead of stressing out. Even simply over-nighting at your departure and arrival locations may give you the time that you need. For example, on this trip, the charter company responsible for returning us to Toronto changed, causing a change in arrival time. Because we were spending the night in Toronto before continuing on to our final destinations, we didn’t have to worry about exactly what time of day we got into Toronto. Some of those who had booked connecting flights had to reschedule them, because we arrived several hours later than initially expected, and they still had to clear customs and check in to their connections before moving on. In cases like these, the connecting airlines take no responsibility for the cost of rebooking the flights, since the arriving flight was a charter, not part of the connecting airlines’ service. Any additional expenses were borne by the travelers, and almost certainly exceeded the $100 cost of a hotel room for the night.

3. Work with local experts and experienced guides whenever possible. Do research before booking your trip to make sure that the people you are travelling with are not just familiar with travelling in general, but with the area that you are heading to in particular. In adventure travel, the agenda must adapt in response to a variety of conditions, including weather. This means that flexibility is important. The more your guides know about the area, the more options you have and the better you will be able to respond to the unexpected. On this trip, each day’s agenda was posted the night before based on the guides’ best estimate of what we would encounter, and we still had numerous changes during the day. However, because our expedition lead had been to the area over 40 times, and the captain had made hundreds of cruises in the area, they were able to identify alternatives that made us feel like we weren’t missing anything. Less experienced guides would not have been able to respond as effectively, and we would have ended up with cancelled activities.

4. Always bring spare socks when hiking. Of course, on longer hikes, you likely already know that you should change socks every chance you get just to keep your feet dry and prevent blistering. However, even when a hike is supposed to be easy you should still bring a spare pair along. There is always the chance for something to happen – for example, stepping in a puddle or needing to rock-hop across a stream. If you have a spare pair of socks, you can easily change out of a suddenly wet pair into a dry one, preventing blisters and keeping your feet happy. If you don’t, then you have to suffer with wet feet for the remainder of the hike.

5. Mosquito netting is your friend. Surprisingly, to me at least, mosquitoes not only live but thrive above the Arctic Circle. While bug dope (aka repellent) will work, the bugs still swarm your face, sit on your hat or glasses, and generally try to find an unprotected area to attack you. Having netting available keeps them away from your face and decreases the distractions while you are hiking. Given the small cost and weight, it is definitely worth packing netting even if you don’t think you will use it. Of course, you should still bring bug spray for those areas not covered by your netting. And, very importantly, keep both the netting and the spray with you whenever you are on an excursion. It does you no good at all if it is sitting in your room while you are providing a feast for the local wildlife.

6. Bring external backup devices. I have previously written about our use of a Hyperdrive external hard drive to back up our flash memory cards. This is a good, single-purpose device which can copy files from a variety of different types of cards. However, it can freeze up when things are done out of order and it does not support filtering of images because the screen size is too small and the images cannot be categorized. On this trip, I noticed several people using an iPad instead of a full-blown laptop for accessing their photos. This has the advantage that the tablet is much smaller and easier to transport than a laptop, while still providing the essential capabilities that one would want on a trip (e.g. reading eBooks and sending email). It is also well designed for performing an initial filtering of the photos, since it has a large screen, can easily move between hundreds of photos, and allows directories to be created and populated based on content. Unfortunately, the current version of the iPad does not natively support an external USB drive (this has been hacked around by some), so this limits the usefulness of the device as a backup for long trips where you will have many more pictures to store / access than can fit on its relatively small internal drive . With tablet computers becoming more popular, however, I would expect this limitation to be overcome in the near future.

7. Walkie-talkies keep people in touch. It can be really handy to be able to talk to others in your group from a distance. This allows you to find each other when you have become separated and can reduce trips back to the cabin for forgotten items. For example, if a polar bear is sighted, one person may rush out on deck to see where it is, while someone else rushes to the cabin to get a camera – but then finding each other can become challenging. In many places, such as ski areas, cell phones have been allowing people to connect remotely for years (e.g. to coordinate lunch between black diamond and green bunny-hill skiers). Unfortunately, cell phones don’t work in many places – and even if they do work, they can be expensive for these types of quick calls. Instead of cell phones, for international and adventure travel, I suggest taking a hint from your guides and using a set of walkie-talkies. They work anywhere, use rechargeable batteries, and can provide an effective link to others in your group over moderate distances. Even a fairly basic set will provide a level of connectivity that will save you several laps around the deck looking for people.

8. Bring ski goggles. If you wear corrective lenses, you know that one of the downsides of wearing glasses instead of contacts is that rain, snow, fog and other weather events can severely affect your vision. On this trip, the rain was so bad one day that I simply took my glasses off since I couldn’t see anything through them. It was during this downpour that I noticed our more experienced guides were wearing ski goggles, which protected their eyes and gave them a reasonable view of their surroundings. Even over glasses, these provide an enhanced weather block and are much easier to keep clean while hiking.

9. Always use your lens shade. While the nominal purpose of a camera’s lens shade is to keep the sun off of the lens’ front element and let you take a better picture sans lens flare, while on an outdoor shoot you should always keep your shade on. In addition to protecting from the sun, it also helps to block rain, sleet, and snow from hitting your lens. This not only increases the chances of getting good pictures but reduces the time that you need to spend cleaning your gear. It is not a bad idea to keep the shade on during indoor shoots, too. The shade can help protect the lens against damage from ungraceful moments. (How many of you have ever accidentally hit your camera against a chair back while walking past?)

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

Trip summary: Arctic Adventure Cruise

2010-12-04T14:30:00.001-08:00

Hello all,

This past summer, we completed a fantastic two week Arctic cruise. Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing some of the tips that we picked up during this cruise. Most of these tips are general travel tips that could apply to adventure travel anywhere; however, there are a few that are specific to travel in the Polar regions. Before getting into these tips, however, I want to give you an overview of the excursion that we took.

This was our first adventure travel / expedition cruise, and it was very different than previous cruise experiences on the major cruise lines. In our case, the itinerary and excursions were organized by One Ocean Expeditions who rented the Clipper Adventurer ship for their exclusive use during this trip. The ship is leased to other companies throughout the year and sails in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Compared to the larger cruise ships used by the major lines, our smaller ship was more personal, more interesting, and matched our interests perfectly. The Adventurer has a maximum of 120 passengers, and is well suited to expedition cruising with an ice hardened hull, a complement of 10 zodiacs, and the ability to load zodiacs from either side. Our cabin was a little small but extremely well laid out, with two single beds (dressed in comforters), two good-sized windows (not portholes), three closets, a writing desk, a night stand, and an ensuite washroom with shower. The main lounge, where tea, coffee, water, and snacks were served 24 hours a day, hosted our lectures and served as a general meeting location. The dining room sat the entire ship for a single serving, and produced amazing multi-course meals throughout the trip. Possibly because of the smaller number of passengers, the food was much better than my experience with the larger ships while maintaining variety and options (e.g. dinner was 5 courses, with at least 2 salad, soup, and dessert options and 3 entrees, all of which were different each day, and never repeated). There was also a well-stocked library and a back deck, with chairs, that we used for afternoon tea several times during our voyage (yes, we had afternoon tea, outdoors, above the arctic circle. Comfortably.).

Our itinerary gave us an excellent overview of the small part of the Canadian Arctic we sailed through and a glimpse of West Greenland. We took a charter flight out of Edmonton to our starting point in Resolute Bay. From there, we traversed the eastern Canadian Shield visiting Beechey Island, Prince Leopold Island, and Devon Island, before heading over the north-east side of Baffin Island to Pond Inlet. From there, we crossed Baffin Bay to Greenland where we visited Uummannaq, Ilulissat , and Sisimiut before heading down Sondre-Stromfjord to Kangerlussuaq, where we boarded another charter flight for our return to Toronto. As one would expect on an adventure trip, our schedule was flexible and there were several times when our initial plans changed in response to weather, sea conditions, or wildlife. It was a credit to our staff that we were able to work around these interruptions (often without the passengers’ knowledge) and maintain an exhausting excursion schedule.

The focus of the trip was on wildlife and photography and excelled in both areas – a credit to the One Ocean’s team and the Captain. The staff clearly had significant experience in Arctic expeditions, and was able to provide a variety of activities at most of the sites where we landed. In most cases, there were at least 3 distinct options, ranging from zodiac cruises to “charging” hikes, where the goal was usually to get to the top of a local peak. There were also usually at least 2 less strenuous hikes (which was what I usually did). When we stopped at villages, there were cultural options as well – at least one museum visit was included as an option in each town, with the residents of Pond Inlet hosting us for a two-hour, live cultural display at their museum. This range of activities kept the passengers engaged and allowed for everyone to get what they wanted out of the trip. The One Ocean staff also gave regular presentations on a variety of topics and made frequent use of the ship’s intercom system to alert us when something interesting was happening outside that we might be missing. As one might expect, the staff included a couple of naturalists, who were able to put what we were seeing in context. What we were not expecting was the level of experience that the entire staff had, each having spent months at the Poles over dozens of expeditions. A highlight for us was a talk given by one of these naturalists about his experiences leading the last major dog sled expedition in Antarctica. Importantly from our perspective, the staff also included two resident photographers who worked closely with the passengers (in fact, we found out about this trip from one of them). They not only gave presentations about relevant topics and led photography-centric groups on excursions, but provided personalized instruction based on the individual’s level of interest, expertise, and equipment. The opportunity to learn from these experienced professionals, and to ask very specific questions, added significant value to the excursions and turned into one of the highlights of the trip for us.

The ship saw 16 polar bears during our trip, and I personally saw 9 – averaging over one per day until we left Canada (missing several while I slept). My most memorable viewing came when the Captain parked the boat on the edge of an ice floe for about half an hour so we could observe a polar bear on the floe. The bear did not appear to mind us being there: although it did charge the ship once to see if we would back away, it spent most of its time looking for seals and sleeping. As we finally pulled away, the sun came out and gave the bear’s fur a glowing white silhouette as it stretched. Absolutely awe inspiring! In addition, we had several other viewings from both zodiacs and the ship. The staff was extremely diligent in making sure that there were no bears near our landing sites, so we never saw a bear from land – an important safety consideration since polar bears will hunt humans and they are extremely fast. I had an excellent musk oxen sighting, with a small herd letting our group approach fairly close, as well as several distant sightings where the musk ox looked like brown boulders that moved. I also had two close walrus viewings, one from a zodiac where we were able to watch for about 15 minutes before he slid into the water and one where the walrus was sitting on an ice floe that passed by our cabin window as the ship moved between stops late one night. We were told that we saw narwhals as well. Unfortunately, apparently, during the summer, all you can see are the blows – the tusks and most of the narwhal remain underwater and invisible. So while I saw a blow spout, I wasn’t able to clearly identify the type of whale.

Overall, the trip exceeded my expectations – and everyone I talked to seemed to feel the same way. The ship was fantastic, and the wildlife encounters more than you could hope for. However, the staff of One Ocean really made the trip everything I could hope for: they focused on making sure we saw the wildlife and landscapes we went there to see. A few snapshots from the trip are viewable at our Flick site.

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

Jasper-park-lodge-review

2010-10-02T18:16:00.001-07:00

Hotel Review: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper National Park, Alberta Canada

Rating: 1 star

Date of visit: July 2010

This is a Fairmont hotel? Seriously? This is the worst Fairmont hotel I have ever been in – by far. In general, Fairmont hotels are known for luxury: they have courteous and helpful staff, they often offer afternoon teas (and have their own Fairmont-branded teas in the hotel rooms), the towels, robes, and linens are plush, and the rooms are well-maintained and well-equipped. To top things off, the hotel itself is usually a building that is a work of art, in a location that is inspiring (whether that is the center of Vancouver or Banff National Park). In general, the guest can reasonably expect a first class experience. Further, while Fairmonts are never cheap, they often offer discounts that place them in the affordable splurge category.

My experience with the Jasper Park Lodge has left me wondering if this was the worst hotel in the chain – and hoping that if it wasn’t, I never find out which one is.

First, the good things.

· The location is wonderful, with the main lodge (registration, restaurants and shops) on a lakefront within the beautiful Jasper National Park.

· The main lodge is everything that you would expect of a Fairmont: breathtaking architecture appropriate for the location, plush interiors.

· The housekeeping service was outstanding during my stay. They did absolutely everything right (replaced everything that was used, didn’t throw away anything not in the garbage). This sounds minor, but it is very rare to find these days.

· The standard Fairmont towels, robes, teas and soaps were all present, providing the only tangible association with the luxury component of the hotel to be found in the guest rooms

· Lots of activities from golf to horseback riding to kayaking available at the hotel.

Unfortunately, the bad outweighed the good by far in this case. The worst part of this facility is the complete and total lack of maintenance that has been performed on the guest rooms. I have been in Super8s that have looked better. I won’t even mention the lack of air conditioning on an 80+ degree day and the ceiling fan that was incredibly slow, even on high. Instead, I will focus on: the entrance doors that were scratched up and down, both inside and out; the peeling paint; the peeling wallpaper; closet doors that didn’t open; the concrete steps that were falling apart to the point of being a safety hazard; the mold growing in the bathroom window (the only source of ventilation in the bathroom) and the decomposing wood on the window frame; the old carpets; and the layout of the room that caused numerous meetings between bed frame and shin, despite the room being a decent size.

Other, more minor but still extremely disappointing experiences include:

· The hotel was expensive, even for a Fairmont (the discount walk-in rate was 25% more than I was charged at the Chateaux Lake Louise – a nicer hotel - the day before).

· The layout of the units is unduly complex. This is a lodge, not a hotel, and as such the rooms are spread among a collection of separate buildings (with stand-alone houses also available). Unfortunately, the roads are narrow and 1-way which makes loading / unloading and generally navigating the land less pleasant than it should be. We had to unload our car in front of our unit, then drive 0.25km to get to the parking area. To get from the parking area to the front of our unit, for loading, we had to go across the entire complex again.

· Service was extremely poor. From the initial check-in ,where our introduction to the property was “Park here to unload your car, then drive to this parking lot when you are done.” (whatever happened to – “Do you need help with your luggage” or “Our lounge is open until 11”?), to the sprinklers in front of the unit (where we needed to load and unload our luggage ourselves, a rarity at Fairmonts) turning on and watering not only the grass, but also all of the walkways as we were trying to load our vehicle to leave before checkout, to the lack of paper delivery and not receiving a copy of the bill before checking out at the front desk in person, to the grounds staff driving over curbs to get around cars, to no-one bothering to ask how the stay was on checkout. Housekeeping excepted, the entire staff seemed completely unaware that they were working at what was supposed to be a luxury resort instead of a low-end motel.

· Security clearly wasn’t a concern. There was no safe in the room and the use of actual keys instead of cardkeys means that room access cannot be tracked. Why are these standards not in place?

· The welcome note in the room was for someone else who was expected to check in the same day that we did – and it arrived, addressed to the wrong guest, after we had already been in the room awhile.

· Since all of the rooms are on the ground level, the curtains have to be drawn in order to prevent people from seeing into the room. Unfortunately, this also limits natural light in the room.

· There was a loud, rowdy, and drunken group of people who passed outside of our open window (the only way to cool down the room) several times in the middle of the night and remained within earshot for several minutes each time. Not completely within the hotel’s control but not exactly the ambience expected at a Fairmont.

For this, people are expected to pay several hundred dollars a night? I certainly won’t ever do so again. This hotel is clearly not worth it.

Worse, it has made me seriously question the Fairmont brand – which until now I have always held in high esteem. The inclusion of this hotel in the chain makes me wonder which of my experiences have been the exception and which the rule...

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

B&B Review: Northside School Bed and Breakfast, Bonner’s Ferry ID

2010-09-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Date of visit: July 2010

This decent sized B&B (with 9 rooms for rent) on the north side of the city appears to have a lot going for it based on the web page, where the pages show a single picture of each of the rooms – showing well decorated rooms but without any indication of size. B&B guests can enjoy a pool and hot tub, an after-dinner drink cart that is rolled out in the evenings, and a full breakfast in the mornings. The building itself certainly has some historical charm and the Principal's Office room has a decent view over the city. There are also nice gardens and a sitting area near the pool where you can sit out and enjoy the view.

It should be noted that the rooms were up 3 flights of stairs, with no elevator, so it is not appropriate for people who are not able to easily traverse stairs. Unfortunately, this disclaimer is not on the web pages.

The breakfast was a nice, if standard, B&B breakfast. It was, however, essentially self-serve, with a hot quiche brought out when you sat down and the rest of the food lined up buffet-style. Items that ran out were quickly replaced. This has the advantage that the owners can accommodate a range of breakfast times, and allows you to pick only the items and portions you want. While this set-up is uncommon for many B&Bs, I think it worked out pretty well for us.

In person, I was a little disappointed. While the proprietors seemed to go out of their way to make sure the boxes were checked (e.g. separate bathrooms - check , pool – check, breakfast – check, guest fridge - check), the quality of what was provided was not always at the level that I would expect for the price. For example, the guest fridge was a dorm-sized fridge that was shared among all of the guests, not one for each room, so it was hard to actually put drinks away; the towels and soaps provided were the same quality as one would find in a Motel 6, not a nicer hotel; and the room was not well stocked. There was no obvious place for standard items such as a spare roll of toilet paper (which we had to explicitly ask for since there wasn't enough left on the used roll). In addition, the proprietors were aloof and not as outgoing or friendly as most of the B&B owners I have met over the years. We certainly did not feel like we were welcomed into their home.

There were also minor maintenance issues with the room. Of particular concern was a screen missing from our window – which was the only way to cool down our room (there was no air conditioning, so the room was stifling hot on the 90+ degree day we were there). Having to keep the windows open all night also forced us to listen to the train coming through the city regularly – not conducive to a restful sleep. While central air may not be possible given the age of the building, window air conditioners would have been much appreciated and done a lot to alleviate our discomfort.

The rooms were clean and average – although a little on the small side – however, the bathrooms were exceptionally tiny. Beds were queen size, not king. Very few of the rooms had tubs; most had showers only. The sink area was so small it was impossible for 2 people to get ready at the same time - there was simply no room to put 2 people in that area. Definitely not an advantage when you are trying to get up and out. The rooms were also not exactly as they appeared on the web. A major annoyance for me was that I had intentionally picked a room where the bed did not have a footboard (according to the web site photo). However, when we arrived, there was a footboard. This may not sound like a big deal, but since I hang over the bed several inches, it can really disturb my sleep.

Finally, there were some tacky aspects to our stay. For example, there was a tip envelope in the room for housekeeping – something I haven't ever seen in a B&B before – and most of the paintings in the hallways had prices on them. While I don't mind the pictures being for sale, it would have been nice to have that information in a single place and let the guests enjoy the pictures without making them feel as though they are overnighting in a gift shop.

Overall, I would suggest shopping around a little before staying here. Prices at other nearby locations vary a lot, and it is likely that a better deal can be found elsewhere. If not, there are certainly worse places to stay. This is a middle-of-the road B&B in a place without a lot of other options, so it is definitely worth considering. I would stay here again in a pinch – but certainly not in the heat of summer, and only after considering other options.

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

Packing for Adventure Travel

2010-08-28T15:01:00.001-07:00

After extensive experience packing for corporate meetings, and years of trips focused around our nature photography, I have come to the conclusion that it is almost impossible to truly pack light for photographic adventure travel. Clothing and personal effects are a miniscule component of the overall luggage that we take on our adventure trips. We bring multiple layers of clothing to deal with varied weather conditions while simultaneously reducing bulk, and make heavy use of quick-dry clothing, such as that produced by Ex-Officio, to reduce the number of outfits we need (e.g., typically no more than 3 shirts for a multi-week trip). However, a successful trip requires being flexible and having the right gear easily accessible. We always have hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, and at least a simple first aid kit (for our most extensive first aid kit, see the comprehensive first aid kit we used when we went to Tanzania). Depending on the type of activities we are planning, we could also be bringing snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit), winter clothing (thermals, sweaters, gloves, parkas, snow boots), hiking gear (good boots, poles, refillable water bottles, bug repellant), rain gear (for us and our camera equipment), or any combination of the above. All of this adds up quickly and we find that we will often be checking one moderately full bag each with just this.

The real weight starts when we bring in the photography equipment. For domestic travel, we have a very large Pelican Case. It is an extremely useful container, because it is practically indestructible, is waterproof, and holds the equipment securely in place with customizable foam padding (important if you have ever watched a baggage handler toss / drop a box marked fragile). You can also lock the case using TSA approved locks to prevent snooping – since Pelican Cases tend to attract attention. Finally, it comes with wheels and a handle that make moving it around, at least in the open, a lot easier than you would think.

This huge container will carry everything we typically bring, including our tripods, but can easily top the scales at about 70 pounds – more than most airlines will let you pack without an additional handling charge. To get around that, we also have a LowePro Super Trekker backpack. This backpack is large enough to carry all of the lenses and camera bodies we need for a trip, including the large 600mm lens, and will fit in most overhead bins on the larger planes. We then check the tripods and monopods in our normal luggage. If we are not taking our largest lens, we use a much smaller backpack from Tenba. It is much easier to carry and maneuver, yet still holds all of our gear, including a tripod. Note: while the Pelican Case is sturdy enough to adequately protect our gear when checked – and it is lockable --, we never check any backpacks containing camera equipment. Though they may provide good protection for normal bumps and thumps, when it comes to our camera gear, we only subject hard-sided containers to the rigors of checked baggage.

What we bring on any specific trip depends a lot on the nature of what we expect to see and whether we will have a vehicle or will be carrying everything on our backs. Typically, for a longer trip, we bring the following items, and select a smaller subset to carry with us for day-trips:

- Primary camera body (Nikon D300)

- Backup camera body (Nikon D60)

- Water- and shock-proof point and shoot camera (currently a Fuji – yes, we take snapshots, too, plus Jodi needs something that will survive her kayaking!)

- Waterproof shoot-through dry-bag (note: we do not trust this bag enough to submerge it, but it works well to protect the camera and a smaller lens while shooting in wet, misty, or drizzly conditions)

- Quick set-up tripod (QSX DigiPro 8500 with a Joby Ballhead)

- Heavy-duty tripod (Gitzo tripod with a Wimberly head)

- Monopod (Gitzo)

- Nikon Nikkor 600mm lens

- Nikon Nikkor AF VR 80-400mm 4.5-5.6 lens

- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 18-200mm 3.5-5.6 lens

- Quantaray 28-200mm 3.5-5.6 lens

- Quantaray AF 19-35mm 3.5-4.5 lens

- Nikon AF-S 1.7 Teleconverter (TC-17EII)

- Quantaray 2X DG Teleconverter

- Kenko Extension Tubes (12mm, 20mm, 36mm)

- Nikon SB-600 Speedlight (flash)

- Sekonic Flash Master L-358 Light Meter

- Expodisc

- Circular polarizing filter for each lens size (except the 600mm)

- UV filter for each lens size (except the 600mm)

- Graduated neutral density filters (Lee .3 and .6)

- Solid neutral density filter (Lee .9)

- Lee filter holder and lens attachment rings

- Lumiquest Mini Softbox

- Big Bounce light reflector

- Two collapsible light reflectors

- About a dozen memory cards

- Cable release

- At least 2 spare camera batteries (charged)

- Spare AA batteries for light meter and speedlight

- Sanho Hyperdrive Colorspace (for backing up memory cards; smaller and more convenient than a laptop)

- Cell phone

- Battery chargers for everything (including the phone) as well as power adapters

- Double axis Spirit Level

- Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly (for cleaning lenses)

- Visible Dust Sensor Loupe

- Lint-free towels

- Lens cleaning fluid (note: if carrying my gear on a plane, this must be in my one-quart liquids bag)

- Small multi-purpose tool (similar to a Gerber tool)

- Small container of Krazy Glue

- Gloves that can fold back to become fingerless

- Bandana

- Scrunchy and clips to pull back Jodi’s hair

- Assorted Ziplock bags

- Instruction manuals

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

http://www.cityescapesphotography.com/

Packing-light For Business Travel

2010-05-31T16:47:00.001-07:00

All of the travel guides recommend it, and with airlines charging fees for checking bags, everyone is trying to do it – but how do you really pack light? Last year, I flew over 75,000 miles for business meetings and a thousand more for fun. When I travel for meetings, I never check luggage. I pack my carry-on bag and my personal item (laptop bag) and zip on and off the plane. Furthermore, I want my trips to be efficient and that means having everything I need – and some things I just want - close at hand.

Most of the time, I use a Costco brand carry-on bag which has several compartments to separate various items and fits in the overhead compartment on all except the smallest of planes.

In the large main bag, I pack:

· Up to 5 shirts, underwear, handkerchiefs, and socks (less if I am staying fewer than 5 days)

· 1 pair pants

· 1 sweater if I am going somewhere cold

· Electric razor

· Toiletry bag containing

o Cough drops

o Pepto-Bismol, Claritin, Aspirin

o Sewing kits, Band-Aids, Q-tips

o Travel towel, lint-free shoe shine towel

o Small tape measure

o Toothbrush, toothpicks, floss

o Travel hair brush and comb

o Deodorant

o Prescription meds and vitamins

o Breath mints

· In the pockets, I keep

o Hands-free cell phone headset and charger

o Power chargers for my cell phone and camera

o Small notepad

o 2 Power Bars

o Thin magnifying card

o Laundry detergent and fabric softener for 1 load, in Ziploc bag

o A number of spare, clean Ziploc bags in varying sizes

o A plastic laundry bag

· Small point-and-shoot camera

In the front pouch, I pack

· Travel umbrella

· 3 books

· 1 quart sized Ziploc bag with all of my liquids and gels (as mandated by TSA)

o 3 oz toothpaste, in refillable container (much more affordable than the travel sizes)

o 3 oz shampoo

o 2 oz hand sanitizer

o Newskin liquid bandage, hand lotion, Neosporin, Chap Stick,

o 4 days worth of Dayquil and Nyquil gel caps

· Snacks (either trail mix or beef jerky)

In the small front pockets I pack

· Electrical tape (smaller than duct tape J )

· Assortment of pens (different colors and a Sharpie)

· Power Bar and a chocolate bar

· Handi-wipes

· Post-it notes

· Batteries for headset

· Breath mints

· Business cards

In my laptop bag, I pack

· Laptop & power supply

· Security cable to tie down laptop

· Wireless mouse and batteries (both AA and AAA)

· Notepad

· Power Bar, chocolate bar

· Chocolate muffin

· USB sticks, air-card (for network access over cell phone service)

· Itinerary

· Book (the one I am currently reading)

· Business cards

I also use carabineers to clip on

· A small Pelican Case containing my Bose noise-canceling headset and batteries

· A refillable water bottle

That’s it. I wear my jacket and cell phone so I have easy access to them on the plane and they do not take up any space in the luggage. However, unlike those who truly pack the least amount possible, I have everything I need to handle bad weather, extended layovers, and minor problems such as a missing button.

For trips where I have to dress up, I switch to a garment bag instead of the carry-on and pack the suit and shoes instead of the sweater.

Clearly, this is not a small list – and I could eliminate many items if I had to (e.g., I really only need one sewing kit and probably don’t need the towel). However, it all fits in my carry-ons and I have ready access to anything I need. I have found that rolling clothes helps save room in the suitcase and allows for more items to be comfortably packed – I am not sure why, but it works well.

It would be easy to eliminate things you don’t think you will use on a given trip, but I find being prepared for the unexpected has advantages. You can also reduce the number of clothes you pack by using quick-dry clothing that you can wash in your sink. This tends to be relatively easy if you have access to water, however I only do that when I expect to be on the road for multiple weeks without easy access to a laundry (e.g. on our trip to Africa).

Of course, for adventure travel, or even trips where you need a variety of clothing options (e.g. from suits to hiking equipment), you will probably need to pack a broader variety of things and therefore check your luggage. Otherwise, for standard business trips this should work fine.

With a little planning, you can enjoy your trips and keep your travel fees down!

Terence

City Escapes Nature Photography

P.S. – A Woman’s Perspective

As a woman and a photographer, I pack differently than Terence does. For example, I have a greater variety of liquids that must fit into my one-quart bag, from conditioner and hair-styling products to sunscreen and liquid make-up items. I also take such things as saline solution for my contacts (which does not have to fit into my one-quart bag, but will need special screening by TSA screeners), a hair dryer, a straightening iron, baby powder, etc. These extra items do not mean, however, that I cannot also still get everything I need to fit into my two carry-on approved bags. I simply have to be organized and discriminating about what I choose to bring, especially if I am also bringing my camera gear. (My camera gear takes up a bag all on its own, leaving me with one carry-on sized bag in which to fit everything else.)

I often have to bring an extra pair of shoes, either dress shoes for a special occasion, or hiking boots for a shoot. In order to save room in my suitcase, on the days I fly I choose to wear the biggest, heaviest pair of shoes I am bringing. This often means that I am wearing my hiking boots on the plane. Though my everyday slip-on shoes would be less hassle, I choose instead to opt for more room in my suitcase. This does come at a price, of course: it is easier and faster to go through the security checkpoints at the airport wearing the slip-ons rather than my hiking boots. Nonetheless, the extra time and effort is worth it to me. Note, however, that many people make the exact opposite choice, Terence among them. You will simply have to decide which works best for you.

Some people believe that it is impossible for a woman to carry everything she needs for a week-long trip in carry-on luggage, but I am here to say that such a belief is simply not accurate. It may require a bit of time and planning to get it right, but it most certainly can be done.

A special note on TSA and airline requirements: all lithium batteries, regardless of size or purpose, must be included in your carry-on luggage; none may be packed in your checked bags. On the other hand, no knives or multi-purpose tools may be included in your carry-ons; all must be checked. I keep a multi-purpose tool in my camera bag. Therefore, if I am traveling to a place where I cannot easily borrow one, I must either remember to remove the m-p tool from my bag, or check a bag with the m-p tool in it. And, of course, any time that I take a full-sized camera tripod with me, I must check it.

Jodi

Comprehensive First Aid Kit

2009-01-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year,

We have always taken a basic first aid kit with us on our travels, since it can be extremely useful at times. When selecting a first aid kit, you must keep in mind both the level of injury you want to successfully address, and the overall size and weight of the kit.

For short hikes, we have used standard, pre-packaged first aid kits available from outdoor stores such as REI. We have often used these small kits to patch up minor cuts, blisters, and abrasions received from a fall or other minor accident on the trail, and they work great for those situations. For trips when we are in the field for a week or two, and have access to a car, we have extended our basic kit to allow us to deal with more serious injuries for a short period of time. For example, we have included a small splint to stabilize a broken bone until proper medical help can be sought.

As part of our preparation for Tanzania, however, we felt we needed to further extend our supplies, since we would need to be equipped to handle pretty much anything for at least 24, and more likely 48, hours (the time it would take to be airlifted to a hospital that meets first-world standards). Knowing that the potential existed for us to be far from any semblance of assistance should we need it, we also added supplies that are not strictly first aid in nature, but rather general purpose, such as a signal mirror and duct tape. Taking that approach, and knowing that size was not a primary consideration since we would always be in or near a vehicle, we developed a very comprehensive first aid kit.

Unfortunately, we were not able to find all of the information we needed to develop a good kit in a single place. To come up with the appropriate set of items, we had to pull information from multiple sources, including the Red Cross. We hope that the information we present here will help save you a little work in putting together your own kit. The resulting kit fits in a medium sized over-the-shoulder bag (roughly the size of a large purse), and should provide everything that you need to triage after even a fairly significant event such as a car accident. Of course, it also contains all of the stuff required to take care of minor injuries as well. Given its size, it is not likely the best fit for backpacking trips, but it is our new standard for any trip where size is not a prohibitive measure.

Obviously, in addition to the equipment contained in the kit, the knowledge of how to use it is critical. As such, we strongly recommend at least one person in your group take an advanced wilderness first aid class to become familiar with these tools and learn how to effectively utilize them. More than one person would be preferable, as the person who knows how to use the equipment might also be the injured, and possibly unconscious, party.

We hope you find this information useful.

Terence
www.cityescapesphotography.com

Lessons from a successful safari

2008-12-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Holidays,

As I mentioned last time, we had a great time on our trip, but there are a few things we got right out of sheer luck, and a few things we would do differently next time. In case you are planning on heading on safari sometime soon, here are some things to keep in mind:

We went during the dry season, but we still encountered a few days of significant rain. Plan for it and your trip will be much better. We had some issues getting to camp one day due to a flash flood, but overall the rain was nothing more than an inconvenience. If we hadn’t had appropriate layers and quick drying clothes, it could have been a long couple of days.
We spent more time at Lake Manyara and in the Northern Serengeti than we needed to. Lake Manyara is relatively small, and should be visited, however a single day would be plenty. The claim that this is the only place where you can see tree-climbing lions is not true. We saw lions in trees in many locations, but not there. While there were plenty of grazers (zebra, wildbeest. topi, etc.) in the northern part of the Serengeti, we didn’t see many of the more exciting animals (cats). While the north may be worth visiting during the migration to watch the river crossings, during the dry season we would prefer to spend additional time in the south.
Definitely pack for the worst. We brought an extensive first aid kit, which we fortunately didn’t use much, but simply having it around was reassuring. (More details later.)
Though we were well taken care of at camp, we were fed traditional American food. Apparently, had we specifically requested it when we booked our trip, we could have obtained African food at mealtimes. This was our major disappointment, as we would have preferred to eat more of the local cuisine. Unfortunately, we were unaware of this issue in advance.
Bring lots of hand sanitizer and bug spray. While the tsetse flies seem to be attracted to deet, the rest of the insects appear to be deterred.
Because you are not going to be able to head off-road in Tanzania, it is important to bring a couple of very good lenses to get shots from a distance. A good pair of binoculars doesn’t hurt, either.
In the southern Serengeti, our camp was pretty far from the major animal viewing areas, so we spent an hour or so each way just going to and from the park. This is one of the areas where it may make more sense to stay in a lodge, since they are much closer to the prime viewing area. This is especially true if you include a hot-air balloon ride, as the take-off site is only minutes from a major lodge.
Because we wanted to focus on photography, we were on a private safari. Much to our surprise, the additional cost was minimal, and the flexibility provided was definitely worth it. We were able to customize the time spent in each camp, and since it was just us in the car, we were able to spend as much or as little time as we wanted viewing various animals. This is definitely worth exploring, and not nearly as expensive as you would think.
If you shoot digital, bring a way to store images from memory cards. We took over 7,000 pictures, and while we had a lot of cards, we needed a huge amount of space to hold everything. We used a Hyperdrive Colorspace, and were very happy with the unit. We will be writing up a product review on it later.

Terence
http://www.cityescapesphotography.com/

Choosing a safari company

2008-12-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon,

Once we picked the location that we were most interested in, we had to determine with whom we were going to work. Choose the right company and you ensure that your trip will be memorable and fun; choose the wrong one and you could be in for a miserable experience. We spent a lot of time talking to various travel companies, including AAA and Costco, to see whom they recommended. We also researched companies on the web to get feedback from people who had actually been on a trip. Unfortunately, no one we know has been on a safari, so we couldn’t count on personal recommendations. Based on initial findings, we were able to fairly quickly narrow the field down to two companies: Thomson Safaris (http://www.thomsonsafaris.com/ ) and Micato Safaris (http://www.micato.com/ ). We ultimately chose Thomson because 1) of their established history -- they have been in business for 25 years; 2) they exclusively serve Tanzania (though they are part of a larger travel network that serves other destinations as well); and 3) they hire only local Tanzanian residents in-country. (It is important to us that the local populations benefit from wildlife preservation efforts, wherever we are.) Thomson was also more affordable than Micato, while still providing the amenities and activities we were interested in. Based on the little bit we saw in Tanzania, however, Micato would also be a good choice (nice vehicles, similar guides, and good camps, as well as a favorable impression of them held by our guide).

We were very pleased with our experiences with Thomson. The service was everything we had hoped it would be, and then some. Right at the outset, they were very helpful in establishing our itinerary. They worked with us to accommodate our luggage requirements (i.e., a very large and heavy camera bag in addition to the normal safari gear), and once they understood what we were trying to do, there were no problems at all getting things set up. The camps were far more luxurious than we had been expecting, with each tent holding a queen-sized bed, two nightstands, and two bookshelves, as well as an attached bathroom, with vanity, shower and a flush porta-potty. The meals were truly extravagant, and the staff was always exceptionally friendly and helpful. For instance, the camp guards would stand with Jodi when she was taking sunrise or sunset shots to keep any wandering cape buffalo or elephants at bay. Finally, our guide Mustafa was wonderful. While he was conservative and conscientiously followed the rules, ensuring, for example, that we were back at camp before the park officially closed, he was extremely knowledgeable about the area and gave us a lot of insight into both the wildlife and the local culture. He also had a knack for getting us into the right position to take great shots from the Range Rover – an especially important talent given that Tanzania requires you to stay in your vehicle in its national parks..

Based on our experiences, we would highly recommend Thomson Safaris. However, as with every trip, we would do a few things differently, as well. Next time, some of our lessons learned.

Terence
www.cityescapesphotography.com

Choosing a safari location

2008-11-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

Hello again,

In early September we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take a photo safari. This was an outstanding trip -- many would say once-in-a-lifetime, but I am an optimist. However, it required a huge amount of planning over the course of several months to make sure everything came together. (Don’t worry, while we don’t have any safari photos available for sale yet, they will be coming soon.)

Our initial plan was fairly vague – we wanted to do a safari in Africa. That left a lot of room for interpretation. So, the first decision we needed to make was where we were really going to go – and then, which travel agent / tour company we should go with. We looked at South Africa, but really wanted to go on a more traditional East African safari, and ideally be able to see the big cats – Jodi really likes cats. :)

Kenya is the customary choice for photographers, since it has historically allowed the maximum flexibility for taking pictures – you can stay in the park after sunset and enter before sunrise, and the vehicles can go off-road, making it easier to pick the perfect spot for pictures. Unfortunately, Kenya had two major problems. The first was that it has recently been relatively unstable politically, with serious problems arising in late 2007. The second is that, because Kenya has not been fully aware of the impact of vehicles on its wildlife, the wildlife is suffering, with, for example, cheetahs becoming increasingly rare (safari vehicles surround them at all hours of the day, preventing them from hunting). While the rules are changing, because conservation is very important to us, we did not want to reward bad behavior, even though it would make our job (taking great pictures) easier.

Instead, we focused on Tanzania - Kenya’s southern neighbor. Tanzania is where the Serengeti is located (it is called the Maasai Mara when it reaches Kenya), as well as Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Most of the animals we wanted to see are available in Tanzania, and with 25%-30% of the country dedicated to national parks, it is clear the government takes its environmental stewardship role seriously.

Even within Tanzania, however, there was too much for us to see and do given our time constraints. We had to prioritize our trip, and chose to focus on the northern part of the country. This meant that we missed out on several cultural activities, as well as visiting the chimpanzees in the Mahale. Because of our timing, we weren’t even able to make it to Kilimanjaro, which was our only major disappointment. However, we did visit four of the national parks, saw a tremendous amount of wildlife, and had an outstanding time.

Next time, I’ll talk about our tour company.

Terence