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  2. Rebak Island Resort

    P.O. Box 125, Kuah Langkawi
    Kedah Darul Aman
    Malaysia
    tel 604 966 5566


    by Alexandra Young On a Saturday morning, I decided to leave the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur and hop a 50-minute flight to the famed Malaysian island of Langkawi. Landing in Langkawi, I disembarked the aircraft to a small, clean and modern airport. Walking through the arrivals gate, a friendly member of the Rebak Island Resort, Langkawi, a Taj Hotel, staff was waiting to greet me.

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  3. Airlines Await Fines


    United Airlines and Delta Air Lines face fines following violations of the three-hour tarmac delay rule. During the month of May, five flights were delayed for more than three hours. United operated four of them; Delta operated one. The airlines face fines of up to $27,500 per passenger and are currently awaiting the results of a Department of Transportation investigation into the incidents. Carriers are not fined if planes were delayed for safety and security reasons.

     

     



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  4. DOT Finalizes Tokyo Decision


    The battle over take-off and landing slots at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) is over. U.S. regulators have finalized a decision that gives Delta Air Lines slots for two daily flights. American Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will each get one slot. United Airlines and Continental Airlines were denied access to airport slots. A new runway will open in October and flights will begin shortly thereafter.

     

     



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  5. Aegean Airlines Joins Star Alliance


    Just 14 months after its acceptance into the Star Alliance, Aegean Airlines, Greece’s flagship carrier, is officially the network’s newest member, further expanding its reach and proving to the world that despite the country’s economic woes, its aviation industry remains as vibrant and viable as its European counterparts.

    Since its founding 11 years ago, Aegean has grown exponentially, accumulating both passengers and a bundle of honors. In 2009, one year after surpassing Olympic as the country’s largest carrier, Aegean was named “best regional airline in Europe” by SkyTrax. For each of the past 10 years, Athens International Airport has recognized the young airline for its industry-leading on-time performance.

    With 98 percent coverage of the domestic market and service to 20 international destinations — Madrid (MAD), Vienna (VIE), Belgrade (BEG) and Tel Aviv (TLV) were added last year alone — Aegean is well-positioned as the 28th member of the Star Alliance.

    “This country has always been a center for trade and tourism,” Star Alliance CEO Jaan Albrecht told an overflowing audience at Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport (ATH) on June 30. “Greek people were traveling the world long before many others…You have set the stage for further growth by combining the Greek airline industry forces in the interest of the traveling public,” he said, referring to the merging of Aegean Airlines and Olympic Airways, announced last February.

    The Aegean–Olympic merger was a product of necessity, said Aegean Airlines Chairman and CEO Theodoros Vassilakis: “We believe it’s the only answer to the size of Greece and to the financial situation.”  – Patrick Adams

     

     



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  6. Holland American Line

    MS Rotterdam/Alaska Cruise
    300 Elliott Ave. W.
    Seattle, WA 98119
    tel 877 932 4259


    by J.D. Brown and Margaret Backenheimer North to Alaska by sea, roundtrip from Seattle, via Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan — with whales and glaciers, eagles and totems along the way — what better way to explore America’s true wilderness than in luxury? Holland America’s newly outfitted cruise ship MS Rotterdam makes this weekly foray along the beautiful shores of the last frontier a midsummer’s delight.

    The Rotterdam looms large on the water, although it is now but a boat among mega-ships, carrying up to 1,400 passengers and 600 crew at a swift pace with ease. It is massive enough to contain its own casino, a $2 million art collection and a Las Vegas-style theater, but not so vast as to drown its passengers in a labyrinth of endless decks and corridors.

    This is the first season in Alaskan waters for the Rotterdam, Holland America’s standard-bearer. Before venturing up the northern shoreline of the 49th state, the Rotterdam underwent exhaustive enhancements in December 2009. What we came to admire about the redesign of this vessel is how it now seamlessly combines the classic elegance of upscale sailing with the latest technological and recreational advances of a sleek deluxe hotel.
    Between ports of call we sampled the Culinary Arts Center, where smiling Executive Chef Thomas Schumann and his team offered interactive gourmet cooking lessons in a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen. We also wedged our way into the Digital Workshop, where instructors can get you up-to-speed with that new camera or put you online with the latest tips on social networking. We even treated ourselves to ocean views and stone massages in the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, and more than once we dipped our toes into The Retreat, a resort-style facility with lounges anchored in shallow outdoor pools.

    The accommodations on the Rotterdam are freshly redesigned, too. The upper-deck Deluxe Verandah and Penthouse Verandah Suites include a private lounge with concierge, very much like the executive floor of a 5-star hotel. Our particular cabin, a few decks below, was a Lanai stateroom, Holland America’s latest innovation, in which the deck windows have been refitted with reflective-glass sliding patio doors. The Lanai doors afford wide views of the sea, as well as wonderful opportunities for people-watching. These 39 new staterooms are not only spacious and luxuriously appointed, but equipped with enough storage to unpack fully, something we always seek, but seldom find, on a seven-day cruise.

    The Rotterdam’s showcase is its Explorations Café, a sprawling coffeehouse with baristas on hand, an extensive, well-organized library lining the walls, tables for the largest jigsaw puzzles and comfortable sea-view seating for reading and napping. Above all there is an abundance of workstations with the latest PCs for Internet browsing. This is the finest media complex we have seen on a cruise ship — no tiresome waits for a computer or for a latté.

    Less to our taste was the Rotterdam’s inviting, but maddeningly slow, buffet line, the Lido. Its cooking stations proved to be understaffed. While the Lido’s offerings were abundant and tasty, we soon gave up on the slow lines and phoned for room service, which was always a prompt delight.

    The dining was better in the main La Fontaine Dining Room, but heading our list was the Pinnacle Grill, renowned for its steaks, wine list and table settings. Reservations and a $20 surcharge are required here, but the ambience, service and cuisine are worth the investment.

    All in all, our voyage to Alaska on the “new” Rotterdam was extremely well run, and the upgraded facilities, refreshing. The vessel’s state-of-the-art engines were able to turn on a dime when we explored the scenic highlight of this voyage, an unobstructed close-up survey of Alaska’s spectacular Hubbard Glacier, with nary another vessel in sight. Topping it off almost every night with the classic dessert of the north, baked Alaska, we decided there was nowhere else north by northwest we’d rather be.

    Score: 4/5

     

     



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  7. Airport Scanners Linked To Cancer


    Do airport body scanners heighten the risk of cancer among frequent travelers? The jury is still out on that question, but according to Dr. David Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research and the Higgins professor of Radiation Biophysics at Columbia University Medical Center, the average radiation dose from a front and back scan is about 0.15 µSv. While statistically small, the exposure amounts to 20 times the average dose.

    Brenner sent Global Traveler a copy of the PowerPoint presentation he referenced during a June 2010 speech on Capital Hill. “The implication is that as you lower the dose, you proportionately lower the risk, but there is no dose where the risk is zero. This is where we need more research,” Brenner told Congress.

    While individual risk is statistically small, Brenner said the population risk has the potential to be significant. Among his concerns: X-rays are effective at breaking molecular bonds in organic molecules, such as DNA, resulting in damage to chromosomes and chromosome damage in a single cell can be the first of many steps on the path to cancer.

    According to Brenner’s research, susceptibility to X-rays differs by individual. At-risk subsets of the population include children, developing embryos and fetuses and genetically sensitive groups.

    Brenner told Congress the new full-body backscatter scanners do not emit a uniform dosage of radiation throughout the body. Some parts of the body will receive larger doses than others and the largest doses from this type of technology will affect the skin. The 0.15 µSv is a relatively low dose of radiation, but still higher than average.

    His report also cited basal cell carcinoma as one of the most common cancers associated with X-ray exposure, particularly after exposure in childhood. Radiation acts as a multiplier of natural cancer rates, so any increases in cancers as a result of X-ray scanner irradiation of children would not likely appear for decades.

    Brenner, who throughout his speech, reiterated his belief that the overall risk is very low, is rallying for more research into the effect of full-body scanner exposure on the general population balanced with the potential benefits of safer flying.

     

     



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  8. Solar Plane’s Overnight Flight


    A solar-powered experimental airplane completed a 24-hour test flight last week. The flight took place overnight and was powered by energy collected from the sun during the day. According to The New York Times, the flight was the longest and highest solar-powered aircraft. It reached an altitude of more than 28,000 feet above sea level. The plane took off and landed in Payerne, Switzerland and was in the air for exactly 26 hours and nine minutes.

     

     



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  9. Delta, US Airways To Sue FAA


    Delta Air Lines and US Airways are headed to court, announcing they plan to sue the Federal Aviation Administration over the conditions the FAA imposed for a proposed slot swap between the two airlines. The airlines announced their decision in a letter sent to the general counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation and the chief counsel of the FAA.

     

     



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  10. Aloft Minneapolis

    900 Washington Ave. South
    Minneapolis, MN 55415
    tel 985 624 3697


    by Barbara & Jim Twardowski Aloft Minneapolis is less than two years old and located in the downtown, revitalized Mill District. In the 1800s, the mills built along the Mississippi River, near St. Anthony Falls, jettisoned the area into the largest producer of flour in the world. By the 1960s, flour production ceased and the buildings stood empty or were demolished. Today, the remaining mills have been converted to loft homes. Across the street from the hotel are the Mill City Museum, a National Historic Landmark, and the internationally acclaimed Guthrie Theatre.

    The modern exterior of Aloft blends well with its neighbors. The hotel is a new brand for Starwood and describes itself as “a vision of W Hotels.” A hip, happy and hospitable hotel, every room was reserved on the day we arrived.

    Hotel guests are greeted with neon-colored signage, 42-inch LCD televisions mounted to the wall, music that complements the time of day (soothing in the morning and a club beat at night) and chic, modern decor. Self-parking for $15 a day is available in an outdoor lot or at a condo complex beside the hotel.

    Staff members work inside a circular desk. From this strategically placed spot, they assist guests who are checking in and out of the hotel, serve as concierge — dispensing maps and information — and ring up items bought at Re: fuel (the 24/7 grab-and-go gourmet station). No matter what time of day we passed the front desk, the staff was busy and always paused to say, “Hello.” Young and professional, they could be students from the nearby University of Minnesota.

    The first floor of the hotel is the heart of the property. During our visit, patrons sipped drinks at the Wxyz bar and young men were racking up balls at a fuchsia-colored pool table. Another guest was leaning over a computer checking Mapquest and a couple sat chatting on the couch by the fireplace. Just down the hall are a glass-enclosed indoor swimming pool and a workout room. In the evening, the courtyard space became the stage for a local band.

    Our fourth-floor room had two queen-size beds, huge windows and a long desk. A plug-and-play connectivity station allowed us to view a PowerPoint presentation on the 42-inch television mounted to the wall. Internet service is free throughout the property. The room was nearly 300 square feet with an oversized bathroom. Amenities included a safe, a mini-refrigerator and a coffee/tea set-up. Complimentary newspapers were located in the lobby.

    Aloft Minneapolis, like the city, is energetic, engaging and exciting.

    Score: 5/5

     

     



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  11.  

Vietnam Travel

Safety | Vietnam Travel Guide

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SafetySafety & Security

Vietnam is generally a safe country, however petty street crime is on the rise as tourist numbers increase. In Ho Chi Minh City we recommend that as little jewellery as possible is worn and that when on the street your spending money is kept close to your body in a secure place. We further recommended that you take taxis rather than cyclos at night. Taxis are metered and inexpensive. Carry a hotel card so that you can show your taxi driver where you want to go. You should leave valuables in hotel safety deposit boxes at all times and carry photocopies of your passport, credit card numbers, and airline tickets, and keep a record of your encashed travellers cheques. These papers should be kept in a safe place separate from the originals

Official Country personnel and tourists are sometimes not authorized to travel to the Central Highland areas without prior consent from the Government of Vietnam. These travel limitations may hinder the ability of the Government to provide assistance to private all tourist in those areas.

all tourist have been detained after traveling in areas close to the Vietnamese borders with China, Cambodia and Laos. These areas are not always marked, and there are no warnings about prohibited travel. Travelers should avoid such areas unless written permission is obtained in advance from local authorities.
Large gatherings, such as those forming at the scene of traffic accidents, can become violent, and should be avoided.
 

Beggar Fatigue
Just as you're about to dig into the scrumptious Vietnamese meal you've ordered, you feel a tug on your shirt sleeve. This latest 'annoyance' is a bony, eight-year-old boy holding his three-year-old sister in his arms. The little girl has a distended stomach and her hungry eyes are fixed on your full plate. This is the face of poverty. How do you deal with these situations? If you're like most of us, not very well. Taking the matter into your own hands by giving out money or gifts to people on the streets can cause more damage than good. The more people are given hand-outs, the more reliant and attracted to life on the streets they become. When money is tight. people recognise that life on the streets is no longer so fruitful. This will hopefully discourage parents and 'pimps' forcing children and beggars onto the streets. One way to contribute and help improve the situation is to invest just a few hours to find out about local organisations that work with disadvantaged people; these groups are far more likely to make sure contributions are used in the most effective way possible to help those who need it. However, if you want to do something on the spot, at least avoid giving money or anything that can be sold. The elderly and the young are easily controlled and are ideal begging tools. If you are going to give something directly to a beggar, it's better to give food than money; take them to a market or stall and buy them a nutritious meal or some fruit to be � sure they are the only beneficiaries.

Prostitution
Karaoke clubs and massage parlours are ubiquitous throughout Vietnam. Sometimes this may mean an 'orchestra without instruments', or a healthy massage to ease a stiff body. However, more often than not, both of these terms are euphemisms for some sort of prostitution. There may be some singing or a bit of shoulder tweaking going on, but ultimately it is just a polite introduction to something naughtier. Legitimate karaoke and legitimate massage do exist in the bigger cities, but as a general rule of thumb, if the place looks small and sleazy, it most probably is.
 

Scams
Con artists and thieves are always seeking new tricks to separate naive tourists from their money and are becoming more savvy in their ways. We can't warn you about every trick you might encounter, so maintain a healthy scepticism and be prepared to argue when unnecessary demands are made for your money. Beware of a motorbike-rental scam that some travellers have encountered in HCMC. Rent a motorbike and the owner supplies an excellent lock, insisting you use it. What he doesn't tell you is that he has another key and that somebody will follow you and 'steal' the bike at the first opportunity.You then have to pay for a new bike, as per the signed contract. More common is when your motorbike won't start after you parked it in a "safe' area with a guard. But yes, the guard knows somebody who can repair your bike. The mechanic shows up and quickly reinstalls the parts they removed earlier and the bike works again. That will be US$10, please. Beware of massage boys who, after a price has been agreed upon, try to extort money from you afterwards by threatening to set the police on you (these threats are generally empty ones). The most common scam most visitors encounter is the oldest in the book. The hotel of choice is 'closed' or 'full', but the helpful taxi driver will take you somewhere else. This has been perfected in Hanoi, where there are often several hotels with the same name in the same area. Book by telephone or email in advance and stop the scammers in their tracks. Despite an array of scams, however, it is important to keep in mind the Vietnamese are not always out to get you. One concerning trend we're noticing in Vietnam, relative to neighbouring countries such as Cambodia and Laos, is a general lack of trust in the locals on the part of foreigners. Try to differentiate between who is good and bad and do not close yourself off to every person you encounter.

 

Theft
The Vietnamese are convinced that their cities are full of criminals. Street crime is commonplace in HCMC and Nha Trang, and on the rise in Hanoi, so it doesn't hurt to keep the antennae up wherever you are. HCMC is the place to really keep your wits about you. Don't have anything dangling from your body that you are not ready to part with, including bags and jewellery, which might tempt a robber. Keep an eye out for drive-by thieves on motorbikes - they specialise in snatching handbags and cameras from tourists on foot and taking cyclos in the city. Pickpocketing, which often involves kids, women with babies and newspaper vendors, is also a serious problem, especially in the tourist areas of HCMC. Many of the street kids, adorable as they may be, are very skilled at liberating people from their wallets. Avoid putting things down while you're eating, or at least take the precaution of fastening these items to your seat with a strap or chain. Remember, any luggage that you leave unattended for even a moment may grow legs and vanish. There are also 'taxi girls' (sometimes trans-vestites) who approach Western men, give them a big hug, often more, and ask if they'd like 'a good time". Then they suddenly change their mind and depart, along with a mobile phone and wallet. We have also had reports of people being drugged and robbed on long-distance buses. It usually starts with a friendly passenger offering a free Coke, which turns out to be a chloral-hydrate cocktail. You wake up hours later to find your valuables and new-found 'friend' gone. Despite all this, don't be overly paranoid. Although crime certainly exists and you need ro be aware of it, theft in Vietnam does not seem to be any worse than what you'd expect anywhere else. Don't assume that everyone's a thief- most Vietnamese arc poor, but honest

 

CRIME: Cities in Vietnam have the crime problems typical of many other large cities throughout the world. Pick-pocketing and other petty crimes occur regularly. Although violent crimes such as armed robbery are still relatively rare in Vietnam, perpetrators have grown increasingly bold, and We has received recent reports of knives and razors being used in attempted robberies in Ho Chi Minh City. Thieves congregate around hotels frequented by foreign tourists and business people, and assaults have been reported in outlying areas. The evolving nature of incidents warrants caution on the part of the tourist traveler. Travelers are advised not to resist theft attempts, and to report them both to police and to Your. Embassy in Hanoi or Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City

Motorcyclists are known to snatch bags, cameras and other valuables from pedestrians or passengers riding in "cyclos" (pedicabs) or riding on the back of rented motorcycles. Serious injuries have resulted when thieves snatched purses or bags that were strapped across their victims' bodies, resulting in the victim being dragged along the ground by the thief's motorcycle.

Passengers riding in cyclos (pedicabs) may be especially prone to thefts of personal possessions by snatch-and-grab thieves, because they ride in a semi-reclining position that readily exposes their belongings and does not allow good visibility or movement. As some cyclo drivers have reportedly kidnapped passengers and extorted money, it may be risky to hire cyclos not associated with reputable hotels or restaurants.

Travelers are strongly advised to keep passports and other important valuables in hotel safes or other secure locations. Travelers are advised to carry a photocopy of their passport with them when going out. The loss or theft abroad of traveller's passport should be reported immediately to the local police and Your Embassy or the Your. Consulate General. Travellers must obtain a police report from the local police office in order to apply for a replacement passport and a Vietnamese exit visa.

Travelers should take precaution in choosing ground transportation upon arrival at the airports in Hanoi and HCMC. Some travelers have reported being robbed by drivers who had greeted them upon arrival with a placard showing the traveler's name. If one is expecting to be picked up, ensure that the driver truly knows who they are picking up and where they are taking them. It is best to stick with only airport taxis or vehicles provided by hotels. Several times in the past year in Hanoi, people have been extorted by taxi drivers who took them from the airport to flophouses masquerading as hotels. Travelers should be familiar with the hotel they have chosen.

There have been occasional reports of incidents in which an unknown substance was used to taint drinks, leaving the victim susceptible to further criminal acts. Travelers are advised to avoid leaving drinks or food unattended and to avoid going to unfamiliar venues alone. Travelers should also avoid purchasing liquor from street vendors, as the quality of the contents cannot be assured

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