Travel Etiquette: 5 Controversial Rules You Might Be Violating Caroline Morse CAROLINE MORSE

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Travel Etiquette: 5 Controversial Rules You Might Be Violating

Are you violating the basic rules of travel etiquette? From skipping lines to sharing the armrests, here’s how to correct your controversial behavior.

Travel Etiquette Rule #1: Sharing the Armrest

If you’ve ever been in a silent battle with the person next to you for control over your shared armrest on a plane, you’ll appreciate this advice from travel etiquette expert Christin Fraga, Director of Operations, Elaine Swann Enterprises: “When it comes to armrests, it is one armrest per passenger. Typically the armrest that has your media and electrical outlets will be the one you use. If you are comfortable speaking with your seatmate, have a short conversation and compromise with them. Two elbows can share a single armrest better than two arms.”

Travel Etiquette Rule #2: Reclining

Reclining your seat is the most hotly debated travel etiquette question out there. Some people view it as their right, while others see it as unspeakably rude.

Etiquette expert Courtney Fadler says: “Unless you are on a very long cross-country or international flight, the best etiquette rule of thumb is not to recline your seat. There is very little space these days for leg room, and reclining seats just takes that much more away from the person behind you. If you are on a very long flight (i.e. international flight) and will be reclining your seat for sleep or otherwise, make sure the person behind you is not in the middle of eating their dinner on the tray table before you recline. You can even take that extra step of consideration, and ask them if it’s okay if you recline your seat for a while.”

Travel Etiquette Rule #3: Cutting the Line If You’re Late

You’re running late for your flight (or connection) and there’s a huge line at airport security/customs. You’ll never make it. What do you do? Should you politely wait in line and miss your flight? Beg the people in front of you to let you cut?

I see two good options here: Throw yourself at the mercy of the people in front of you, asking them to let you go ahead so you can make your flight (I’ve seen this happen many times, and passengers rarely say no to a polite and desperate request); or find a TSA agent/airport employee to explain your situation too—they will usually help you skip the line to make your flight. But don’t cut without a good reason … and a good explanation for your fellow passengers.

RELATED:

16 Ways to Get Through the Airport Faster

Travel Etiquette Rule #4: Swapping Seats on an Airplane

It’s a moral dilemma when someone asks you to switch seats on a plane so that they can sit next to their travel companion, especially if you’ve carefully selected (or possibly paid extra for) for your seat

My view: The person asking for the swap should give up a better seat for a worse seat—for example, if they are in a window seat, the offer must be to switch with someone in a middle. That way everyone wins. If that’s not possible, ask the flight attendant for help. He or she can hopefully rearrange a few people to make everyone happy.

Travel Etiquette Rule #5: A Chatty Seatmate

Looking forward to a quiet flight so that you can nap or read your book, but the person next to you has other plans? Follow this advice from the Emily Post Institute: “If you can’t choose your environment, create your own. Bring an eye shade for napping, and use headphones to listen to music or movies (whether in the terminal or on the plane), or earplugs to block out unwanted conversations. If your seatmate won’t stop chatting with you, smile and say, ‘Well, it’s been nice speaking with you. I’m going to read for a bit now.’”

Natural disasters rock Mexico’s tourism industry

Natural disasters rock Mexico’s tourism industry

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El Pais reports that two earthquakes and more than 4,400 aftershocks in less than a month, which have caused hundreds of deaths, in addition to two hurricanes, have rocked the Mexican tourist industry, one of the country’s most buoyant (accounting for almost 9% of GDP and employing nine million people). Hotels in Mexico City, especially, are seeing day by day a constant flow of cancellations or guests checking out, especially in the colonies of Roma and Condesa, two of the oldest and most trendy neighborhoods of the capital. This is also the zone of the hecatomb, where debris and collapsed buildings have replaced the usual landscape of cafes, art galleries, bars and shops filled with foreigners and Mexicans.

In just one week, according to the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies (AMAV), the number of foreign and Mexican tourists in the capital has decreased by as much as 50%, when the normal occupancy rate at this time is 66%, and 15% in the rest of the country.

(PHOTO: efe.com)

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Official sources say cancellations are 30% throughout the country and insist that the most sought after destinations such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Acapulco have not been affected, but the contagion effect is feared. In fact, the Secretary of Tourism, Enrique de la Madrid, presented on Monday Sept. 25 in New York the campaign “Mexico, a world in itself” to promote the influx of foreigners.

“All destinations are open and there is no reason for travelers to cancel or change their travel plans because they contribute to the economy of local communities,” he said.

Many professionals in the sector are worried and maintain that their businesses are still open for holidays, pointing out that of the 300 hotels in the capital, only seven have had to close due to structural damage and another 15 have to undergo a review. Of the affected hotels, none is included in the tourist circuits, according to government sources, while 60 of those located in Roma and Condesa are among those that have suffered minor damage to façades and rooms. But when there is fear, the statistics are no consolation.

“After the earthquake and the following days we had 70% of cancellations,” says Homero Nava, owner of Villa Condesa Hotel, a boutique hotel in Colima Street, with few rooms and located in a restored mansion that suffered no damage during the earthquake and that became a real oasis of tranquility on that nightmare night for thousands of chilangos.

“It’s 30% less than last year. We want to think that it will recover when the media impact (disipates). In fact, we are receiving many messages of support from around the world and we tell them that the best way to support is to come,” he says.

A few meters away, in the luxurious Condesa DF, located on Avenida Veracruz, part of the Habita chain and frequented by celebrities, Óscar in reception confirms the trend. “We have had many cancellations, but I can not give you the precise information. Especially for the month of October, not yet for November or December.”

This assessment is supported by Israel Cruz, of the Mali House, habitual accommodation of foreign executives in front of the Park Mexico, that was forced to close some days for lack of services, but that now operates with normality. “We estimate that we are losing 20% ​​of the reserves,” he says.

The feared effect of any tourism catastrophe such as violence or terrorism is concentrated in very determined areas (all Mexico, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Morelos and Chiapas, account for 28% of tourism of the country) and affect a very specific segment, especially the Americans and Canadians (the majority visitors) who are the ones who demand the most about the security and location of the accommodations.

“When these phenomena happen people do not want to sleep, we have to return the cash and we will have no cash flow,” Rafael García, president of the Mexican Hotel and Motel Association (AMHM), told the media. Many establishments and airlines are thinking of offering an aggressive policy of discounts to attract visitors, with discounts that could reach up to 50% in places like Acapulco for the next three months.

Experts fear that even these measures can not clear a gloomy picture for Mexico, just when, paradoxically, it has almost completed its best year: 35 million tourists, a figure that had made it the eighth destination in the world.

Matriarchs are feeding the people of Juchitán Community kitchens feed the newly homeless in this city of the isthmus

Community kitchen in Juchitán.

Mexico News Daily | Saturday, September 30, 2017

Society in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region of Oaxaca has long been matriarchal. Today, it is the women who have taken up the challenge of healing the soul of the people after the September 7 earthquake.

In Juchitán de Zaragoza thousands of families have lost their homes and have to sleep in the street, but the matriarchs are keeping them fed.

Thirty-nine community kitchens are operating in Juchitán, feeding the thousands people who found themselves homeless in just seconds. It is the Zapotec women who organize the cooking and distribution of meals, without any official participation.

Instead, the latter has come in the form of citizens’ mobilization. One such citizen is painter Francisco Toledo, who left his hometown of Juchitán 30 years ago. Relief efforts spearheaded by him have been among the strongest in the aftermath of the catastrophic quake.

After Toledo heard about the women and their community kitchens he decided to fund them to keep the effort going as long as it’s needed.

Every day, staples of the kitchens of Juchitán are served in the community kitchens: chicken and rice, black corn tamales, eggs, coffee and pastries.

“The kitchens are outdoors, on the streets, under plastic and tarps. The people gather and sit on stools, chairs or even on the curb to get their meal. Rain at times soaks the charcoal used to cook, but not even that keeps us from feeding our people,” said Micaela, one of the many cooks, in an interview with the newspaper Milenio.

Each kitchen can feed up to 200 people at a time, and although the hungry have to queue up, the wait is well worth it “because the touch of the women heads of families always heals the soul,” one of those in line said.

Although many are being fed, there are other demands — tarpaulins, for example, to keep off the exceptionally heavy rains the region has seen.

Government officials said 17,000 tarps have been distributed and more were on the way. But one obstacle to moving goods into the region is the cost of freight.

Local citizens have asked for a break on the price of fuel to reduce shipping costs. A single truckload from the city of Oaxaca can cost up to 10,000 pesos (about US $550).

Source: Milenio (sp)

Posada Brisa Marina (Zipolite, Mexico)

PABLO RAMIREZ - PARTY WEEKEND SEPT 2017 By P A B L O R A M I R E Z Edm, Pop, House, Remixes, Classics

PABLO RAMIREZ - PARTY WEEKEND SEPT 2017 
By P A B L O R A M I R E Z 
Edm, Pop, House, Remixes, Classics

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8 Innovative Phone Cases and Accessories for Travel

It’s difficult to get through a full day without your smartphone, especially while traveling, so why not make the most of your phone’s case for some extra utility on the road??

Innovative Phone Cases and Accessories for Travelers

From anti-gravity cases that let you take a selfie almost anywhere to a super-thin battery case, here are eight innovative phone cases and accessories perfect for travelers.

PopSockets

I’ll admit I was confused by this phone-accessory trend at first … but then I tried it. For those with larger smartphones, this accessory is invaluable as a phone grip; PopSockets double as a stand for your smartphone as well, and they can be stuck onto the back of any case or phone back.

Popsockets are also great for helping hold your phone steady when filming a video or taking photos. The grip collapses flat, so you don’t notice anything extra on your phone if you keep it in your pocket. You can even buy a mount (a.k.a. PopClip) for your car vent that holds up the Popsocket.

RELATED:

 10 Controversial Travel Gadgets (That May Actually Improve Your Trip)

Anuk Wallet Case

 

A slidable-ID case is one of the best multi-purpose phone cases for travelers because it frees you up when you don’t need a full wallet on vacation—I usually get by with just an ID and debit or credit card. With this phone case, you can go wallet-free—and that means one less thing to worry about losing.

ThinOPTICS

 

If you need reading glasses and easily misplace them, ThinOPTICS multi-purpose phone cases are for you. The flat pair of glasses slides into the back of the case, and you can pick from a variety of frame colors and prescription strengths.

RELATED:

 7 Tiny Travel Gadgets You Can’t Leave Home Without

Apple Battery Case

 

While these innovative phone cases designed by Apple are on the more expensive side, the Apple Battery cases are your best option when it comes to charging your phone on-the-go. The cases are sleek and super thin, so you barely notice the battery pack. The battery lasts up to 18 hours when using LTE. Goodbye annoying lightning cables and spare battery chargers.

Ventev Charge Stand

 

I really like the Ventev Charge Stand for long flights; the combo charger-stand is great for viewing (while charging) shows on your smartphone. This gadget is compact enough that it won’t take up much room and works great for charging your phone on your hotel room nightstand, where outlets aren’t as conveniently placed.

RELATED:

 World’s Thinnest USB Charges Your Gadgets Anywhere

GOATcase

 

No it’s not magic. The GOATcase uses Nano-suction technology to stick to smooth and flat surfaces, like mirrors, windows, or tile—and is perfect for your travel selfies. Bonus: It’s washable.

Pictar Camera Grip

 

Miggo makes the Pictar Camera Grip, a set of innovative phone cases for avid travel photographers. Just slide the grip onto your phone and your smartphone instantly turns into a DSLR. Notable features for photographers include an exposure compensation wheel, “smart wheel” with preset settings, shutter release, and zoom ring. It also has a tripod mount and doesn’t cover your phone’s actual camera, so you can also use a supporting lens.

RELATED:

 12 Travel Photography Mistakes to Avoid

Adventure Port

 

This is one of the best innovative phone cases out there for travelers because of its multi-purpose functions: Not only is the Adventure Port a passport holder and phone charger, but this phone case also serves as a wallet and has RFID-blocking technology. The zip closure adds an additional layer of security. Pick from six trendy colors—it’s the only travel accessory you’ll need.

Eagle of Zipolite

Hotel Punta del Sol (Zipolite, Mexico)

Quiet Beaches: Zipolite and Mazunte

Sep 26, 2017 | Posted by Jesse | Uncategorized | 1 comment

Time to hit the road once again and venture further south to a beach recommended by a friend. The town and beach is called Zipolite and it is about 2 hours by bus from Puerto Escondido. There are buses departing from Puerto Escondido every hour starting at 7 a.m and finishing at 10 p.m on weekdays. The cost of the bus is 42 pesos. The buses, however, do not take you directly to the beach. We were dropped off on the side of the highway in a little village known as San Antonio. The only “landmark” being an OXXO convenience store. Immediately we were barraged by taxi drivers offering to take us to Manzunte or Zipolite for 80 or 160 pesos respectively. This is a large sum when considering the distance is only several kilometers. Clearly these taxi drivers prey on either lazy and desperate tourists or those that don’t know better. Since it was still early in the day there was no rush to get to the beach.

A passajero truck operating on the road between San Antonio and Zipolite.

There are “pasajeros” that come around every 20 minutes or so and will take you to Zipolite for 20 pesos per person. It stops just next to the OXXO if you wave it down. A pasajero can be a taxi, small van, or a pickup truck with a tarp covering it. In this case it was a white pickup truck with a green tarp covering the back.  You are sharing the ride with others that are picked up and dropped off along the way. You just hop on and either ring a bell or pound on the roof when you want to get off. You pay the driver at your destination.

It will cost 20 pesos from San Antonio to Zipolite and 8 pesos from Zipolite to Mazunte.

Soon enough we were on the back of one of these trucks, a few locals sharing the ride with us while “Love Hurts” by Nazareth (sung in Spanish) blared out old decrepit speakers screwed to the floor. The jungle streamed by us as we careened down a twisting road towards Zipolite. The truck will stop just outside of the town and it’s a short walk from there to the beach.

The beach at Zipolite stretches almost 2km between high cliffs at either end. It’s a sleepy little town discovered by hippies back in the ‘60s and since then has evolved into an eclectic mix of locals and travellers seeking to avoid large resorts and the party scene of places like Cancun. Here there is a feeling of time slowing down.

The west end of Playa Zipolite.

On the west end of the beach, nestled against large rock formations jutting out of the sand and in front of a restaurant called “Nude” is where more adventurous beach goers shed their clothes. Amidst the surfing lessons and old dudes chopping coconuts to drink are pockets of people letting it all out. It is all of little consequence to the locals who seem completely used to it. This as been a nude beach for at least a few decades, or at least since the hippies discovered it.

We checked into a place called Lomo La Linda, a collection of thatch roofed rooms and balconies overlooking the ocean. Hammocks swinging on the balconies and the sound of surf complete the scene. There are also yoga classes offered almost daily. If you come to Zipolite, expect to be completely chilled out. This is a place to relax and the slow languid pace of those already here affirm that.

The view from La Lomo Linda.

The sounds of surf pounding the beach in the distance carry through the small open aired yoga studio at Lomo La Linda. The instructor is a tiny ever-smiling lady named Issa. We are doing a relaxation yoga which is working wonders on my stiff muscles. An iguana is perched on a branch to the right of me and a bat is flying around high above in the ceiling of our space. Apparently there is a family of bats here, but they are leaving us alone and add to the natural feeling of the place. Issa is a fantastic instructor who’s smile and easy going nature put you completely at ease. By the end of the session I’ve drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Sunset over Zipolite.