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The Right Way to Travel
Edited by Lori Appling in Arlington, VA
"I'm spending a year dead for tax reasons." -- Douglas Adams
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Today:
*** News from Conde Nast Traveler: On Cruising
*** Stop Paying Taxes You Don't Owe, Here's How...
*** Practical Writing Prompt of the Week:
*** Reader Feedback: How to Handle Your Camera in Extreme Weather
*** More Opportunities and Resources for Writers
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Dear Reader,
Conde Nast Traveler got an interesting note from one of their readers
a few months back. You can read all about it in the January 2007
issue. But I'll give you the short version here...
A gentleman wrote in to say that, to celebrate his 70th birthday, he
had booked a one-week Mediterranean sailing cruise for himself and a
few friends.
Little did he know, however, that the ads he saw online for the cruise
here in the States were not the same advertisements that ran in
Europe. In the States, this cruise was promoted as a relaxing
getaway. In Europe, it was promoted with a kids-sail-free incentive,
resulting in an above-average number of children on the boat
(approximately one-fifth of the boat's population or close to 550
kids).
With no escape from screeching children, his dream of a relaxing
getaway was dashed. (His pictures show kids overflowing even the
adults-only pool and casino.)
The editors at Conde Nast Traveler did a little research and
discovered a few things I think you should know:
*** 1) The cruise manager responded to Conde Nast's inquiry about this
event by saying that because Mr. Anderson purchased his cabin through
Cruise.com (an online travel agency), she couldn't determine what
information was included or emitted from their U.S. advertisements and
could therefore not explain the limited disclosure Mr. Anderson
received.
To my mind, the message here is that we should all be careful when
booking packages like this. I am, after all, a big fan of
discount-package sites like cruise.com and don't intend to stop using
them. But I for one will begin to double-check the websites of the
companies participating in a package before I book on the discount
site, maybe even call the company directly, just to verify that what I
think I'm buying is really what I'll be getting.
*** 2) The cruise manager also said that summer cruises, by
definition, attract more families than cruises throughout the school
year do. If you want a kid-free cruise, think twice about booking in
the summer months and over spring break.
I hadn't really thought about that before, but it makes sense. Since
cruise lines don't post online profiles of the people they expect on
board, I suggest you follow my lead and simply make a mental note to
check the calendar before booking a cruise you're hoping will prove to
be a relaxing, adult getaway.
*** 3) When Conde Nast went to the cruise line's website to find full
disclosure on the cruise, they instead found that even the cruise line
promoted their cruises very differently on their U.S. and U.K. sites.
What does this mean? Well, if your cruise originates outside the U.S,
you'd be wise to check both the cruise line's U.S. and perhaps at
least U.K. websites. It's easy to do. For example: You can search on
Google for "Princess Cruises," which gives you the U.S. website at
http://www.princess.com. Then do a second search for "Princess Cruises
UK," which gives you their website for a British audience at
http://www.princesscruises.co.uk/. Or, talk with a travel agent that
specializes in the region where you're planning to travel.
*** 4) Conde Nast offers this additional advice: The destination is
also key in figuring out who you're going to find onboard. Small
ships that stop at remote ports and focus their activities on history,
culture, and food are not likely to attract families with children. A
summer cruise on a big ship with lots of pools and activities, might.
Incidentally, Conde Nast Traveler offers a cruising guidebook if
you're interested in learning more. You can find it on the
publication's website at http://www.cntraveler.com
And speaking of guides that can make travel easier (and in our case
more profitable), don't forget about our tax call with CPA Eric Taylor
on February 13th. Each attendee on the line will also get a copy of
our downloadable e-book: The Writer's Tax Guide: A Money-Saving Manual
for Travel Writers and Other Freelancers. For more details, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tel2/website
And don't forget to keep me up-to-speed on your travel-writing or
photography success. If you have a story to share, send me a quick
note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.
-- Lori
Lori Appling
Director, AWAI's Travel Division
P.S. Know a friend or two who'd enjoy the freedom and independence of
a writer's or photographer's life? They, too, can sign up to receive
this free e-letter here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com.
======================
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===========================
PRACTICAL WRITING PROMPT OF THE WEEK
"On a small, dimly-lit side street off the Piazza Mercada, in a
hillside village in Italy, there is a madman. He's been there for
years, but the residents of this Umbrian village of Spoleto have no
intention of removing him. Far from being a hazard, he is a draw for
locals and tourists alike..."
This lead caught my attention in this month's Travel Post Monthly.
The story is a short and tidy account of a quirky, good-value place to
eat. If you know of a place like that near you, write it up for the
Travel Post Monthly.
You'll find Writer's and Photographer's Guidelines at:
www.travelpostmonthly.com
[Note: If you're a member of ATS's Unlimited Critiques Program, you
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===========================
READER FEEDBACK: How to Handle Your Camera in Extreme Weather
Q: "How do you deal with taking your camera equipment into the field
when the temperatures are potentially lethal to the equipment?"
A: "Pro-quality digital SLRs are often weather sealed so a little rain
and/or snow isn't going to bother them.
"If you plan to spend a considerable amount of time outside in the
rain, however, you might consider a waterproof bag for your camera.
You can find waterproof camera bags for compact cameras online for
under $50 by searching for "waterproof camera bag" at www.google.com.
Bags for your digital SLR are much more expensive but can also be used
when snorkeling. See www.keepitdrycase.com for details. And in a
pinch, you can use a plain Ziploc bag with a hole for your lens to
stick out (use a rubber band to keep it in place.)
"In extreme cold weather, you also have to think about your batteries.
At low temperatures, batteries start to lose their power. You'll
want to bring extra batteries with you and store them close to your
body to keep them warm.
"Your tripod might also be a problem. Unless you've invested in a
tripod made from carbon fiber, be careful when you turn the screws and
buttons to adjust your settings. Non-carbon fiber tripods can freeze.
"And in extreme heat, I don't really worry about it. I can't imagine
a situation where I'd (or you'd) be in heat hot enough to mess up
anything on your digital camera."
-- Rich Wagner, professional photographer and AWAI's photo expert
[EDITOR'S NOTE: For more tips and tricks about shooting in the snow,
see lesson 30 in Turn Your Pictures into Cash
(http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ph2/website or our Ultimate
Holiday Photo Guide at
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/holiday/tw4.]
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OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
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The Right Way to Travel is a FREE newsletter from the American Writers
& Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.
(c) 2007 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
memberservices@awaionline.com
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
http://www.thephotographerslife.com
