October TraveLife magazine available!

Imagine, it's already October and another 12 months is about to come to an end and I'm another year older!

That's the bad news - the good news is that another issue of TraveLife magazine will be distributed this weekend in the Toronto Star (Oct. 22), my former employer and Canada's largest newspaper.

TraveLife magazine can be accessed online right NOW at http://www.travelife.ca/ and our team of excellent writers have been busy filing stories from exotic places around the world.

In the October/December issue of TraveLife magazine, you'll find stories on:

British Columbia's Sunshine Coast: Brian Brown and Laurel Rowbotham sail away on a 10-day cruise along B.C.'s breathtakingly beautiful waterways and tell us about their experience of fishing for crabs and shrimps and coming face-to-face with bald eagles and starfish.

Japan's Kyoto: George Millar tells us about his experience at a temple in that ancient Japanese city.

Israel's Eilat: TraveLife's photo editor Casey Nolin takes some back roads to get to Israel's "fun capital."

San Francisco: Karen Asp and her husband patrol the streets of San Francisco in some unusual vehicles.

India's Little Tibet: Our adventurous writer Amy Chung goes out of her way to find excitement in India.

Guam's food culture: Cynthia Dial attends a food festival on Guam and comes away with an appetite for more of this treasured island.

Bora Bora: Mark Dimitroff discovers the inner beauty of this South Pacific treasure with the help of an island icon.

China: Chloe Tse has the second part of her amazing journey to China, the land of her ancestors.

And it's been a busy time between editions for me - I've taken exciting trips to Panama, Taiwan, Malaysia and Miami and share my experiences in the October issue of TraveLife magazine.

So look for a copy of TraveLife magazine in the Toronto Star Saturday (Oct. 22) or go online and read it on your iPad or smart phone.

Stories posted on www.travellife.ca

Meet the lovely people
of Bora Bora at travelife.ca

We’ve been busy at travelife.ca this week adding new stories to our front page for your enjoyment.

Four new stories have been posted – one on the delightful Caribbean island of Aruba; one of a family Christmas in Austria; one on the magical South Pacific island of Bora Bora; and one on a city in Taiwan where the local hero is a Canadian.

Regular contributor and dear friend Cynthia Dial shares her family’s last Christmas with readers – it was spent in fairytale Austria listening to Christmas concerts, sipping spiced liquids and sampling some local holiday cuisine in Vienna and Salzburg. Her account will make you want to book a ticket to Austria to spend Christmas this year.

Mark Dimitroff, a fine Canadian writer who now graces the pages of TraveLife magazine on a regular basis, takes us to Bora Bora, known as the Island of Gods and goes off the beaten track with a local legend where he got to see the island’s inner beauty.

It was a busy September for me – trips to Taiwan and Aruba resulted in two unique experiences, which I’m glad to share with you at travelife.ca.

While in Aruba, I met a delightful man who actually grows grapes and makes wine under the harsh Caribbean sun. Vino Vince may not be the best wine in the world but the man who makes it, Vincente Kock is a unique character and a great ambassador for the island which sits just a few kilometres off the coast of Venezuela.

In Taiwan, I ventured out of Taipei one day and found myself in Tamsui, a fishing town on the Dansui River where Canadian missionary George Lesley McKay is idolized for the good works he did there in the late 1800s. Museums, hospitals and schools bear his name and a statue of the great man dominates the city’s biggest park. Tamsui is an interesting place with an aboriginal history and has much to offer a visitor.

So go to www.travelife.ca and enjoy the stories we’ve chosen for your reading enjoyment this month.

Jury duty hangs me out to dry

Day II of jury duty is over – still no trial to preside over for juror 1557.

Nerves are getting frayed. The grumbling is getting louder.

Biggest complaints: Why do we have to pay for coffee? Why is there no free Internet access?

There are 200 of us cramped in a jury lounge and in the last 24 hours we’ve been called to court just once -12 of our members were picked for a criminal trial from a pool of 50– the rest of us just sit and wait.

One perspective juror wonders why we are being kept from our jobs – “with so many people out of work maybe they should pick jurors from the unemployment roll instead of the tax list (which is what they do in Ontario).”

Some people are getting very cozy – I think one affair has started up in the back of the room.

There’s lots of sneezing and coughing – I’m sure I’ll be sick for weeks after this.

On my death bed, I hope I get credit for the days I’m spending here.

I'm now a 'Trusted Traveller' folks!

I can see the future of travel folks - thanks to my new NEXUS card.

Yes, I've become a proud member of the NEXUS club, which allows me to avoid the long lineups waiting to see a U.S. Customs agent at Pearson International Airport and go directly to a kiosk, where my eye is quickly scanned and I'm allowed to go to security without having to see an agent.

I'm now what they call a "Trusted Traveller."

No more having to play nice with a custom's officer when I'm in a bad mood early in the morning. No more having to line up like cattle. No more pushing and shoving. No more delays!

I must confess, I'm breaking a promise to my fellow NEXUS friends who asked me not to write this blog for fear others will rush to get their NEXUS cards and lineups will soon start forming in front of the easy to use kiosks.

But hey, I have a responsibility to my faithful readers.

Getting the NEXUS card was easier than I thought. Just applied online, got a invitation for an interview (I took the one offered at the Fort Erie border crossing because to get one at Pearson International would have taken months instead of the few weeks I waited) and a few weeks later I had my card!

You have to go through two same day face-to-face interviews with U.S. and Canadian customs officers (hence the visit to Fort Erie) but that took just over an hour. When I visited Fort Erie, I was struck by the number of autographed photos of sports personalities the Canadian customs officer had displayed at her desk. "The sports guys are all getting the NEXUS card because they don't want to line up, either," she told me.

I can use the card coming into or out of Canada - even when I'm arriving from overseas destinations. The card can also be used if I'm driving into the U.S. - everyone in the car must have a NEXUS card or you'll have to go through the regular line, though - and the Rainbow Bridge crossing at Niagara Falls has been converted into a NEXUS only facility. Talk about being privileged!

Of course, the conditions attached to the card are strict. If you're pulled over randomly for a check by a customs officer and they find you're bringing something back that you've not declared, you'll lose the NEXUS card right on the spot and a black mark will appear beside your name for seven years.

Going to the States looks a lot brighter now, though, thanks to my new NEXUS card.

My blog surpasses 10,000 readers!

Paolo, who digs up great air deals for you, thank you for
your support by reading our blog daily!

DATELINE TAIPEI - Thank you readers - there's now more than 10,000 of you reading this blog every day.

We passed the magic 10,000 mark today - 10,112 to be exact - and it's so good to know that so many people tune in to see where in the world I am.

This trip to Taiwan, like all the others I make around the world, has been an incredible journey of discovery and I've been so happy that you've come along for the ride.

Since starting this blog in early spring, I've taken you to Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and I've shared a lot of thoughts and airfare deals with you along the way - plus a few fashion comments about the recent royal wedding that stirred up a lot of emotions and responses in you.

There's many more journeys ahead - I'm off to Turkey in a few weeks - so keep your bags packed and keep tuning in to see where I'm taking you next.

Thanks again!

Paolo's Deals: Beirut & Hong Kong

Paolo digs up great air deals every day.

Hong Kong Airfare

$550

Return from Toronto

Air Taxes: $381

Travel Period:

Aug 23 - Dec 8, 2011

Ticketing until: August 23, 2011

OR

Beirut Airfare

$754

Return from Toronto

Airline: Etihad Airways

Air Taxes: $387.64

Travel Period:

Aug 23 - Oct 22, 2011

Ticketing until: Oct. 20, 2011

Call: 1.800.667.395

Good Boy Paolo!

Today's TraveLife Air Deals

Singapore Airfare
$400 
 return from Vancouver
*Approx. Air Taxes $699
Travel Period: Aug 22 - Oct 31, 2011    
 Ticketing until:  August 23, 2011


or
Casablanca, 
Morocco Airfare 
$536 
return from Montreal
*Approx. Air Taxes $298.36
Travel Period: Aug 19 - Nov 12, 2011   
Ticketing until:  October 30, 2011
Airline: Royal Air Maroc


Call: 1.800.667.395

My blog now tops 8,000 page views



Back in March when a friend challenged me to start this blog, I wondered if anyone would care about what I have to tell them.

Well, six months later, over 8,000 of you have let me know that you like coming along with me on my world travels and like the comments, tips, deals and advice in pass along to you via this format.

Over 8,100 are now viewing this blog on a daily basis and I thank you for your support and encouragement.

I'm not in Charlie Sheen's 10 million-plus viewer blog territory yet, but hey, I'm only drinking wine, not taking hard drugs!

Some of my blogs have generated some real passionate responses from you - the one in which I criticized Kate Middleton's wedding dress certainly prompted a lot of comments and I must say, most of you agreed with me that the royal wedding dress did not live up to its pre-ceremony hype.

And one of the most read blogs was the one I posted from Beijing on the biggest Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in the world which is located in China's capital.

There are many more posts coming your way and I'll be sharing my travels with you on upcoming trips to St. Lucia and Taiwan which will occur in the next few weeks.

I'm humbled by your support and I thank you once again.

Paolo's air deals today: Venice

Paolo digs up some great air deals!

Venice Airfare

$756

Return From Toronto

Airline: Alitalia

Air Taxes: $457.75

Travel Period:

Aug. 11- Nov. 10, 2011
Ticketing until: Aug. 16, 2011
Call: 1.866.929.6688

Good boy Paolo!

Paolo's Air Deal Today: Brussels



Paolo digs up some great air deals!

 Brussels Airfare

$665

Return from Toronto

Airline: Jet Airways

Air Taxes: $430.75 (approx.)

Travel Period:

Aug. 10 - Oct. 10, 2011

Ticketing until:
Aug. 31, 2011

Call: 1.866.929.6688

Good Boy Paolo!

Florida cities offer lowest tourist taxes

Travel can be taxing on tourists at the best of time so they don't need the added burden of high taxes at the destination.

So it was with interest that I read this morning a study, which I wanted to share with you, by a group called Global Business Travel Association Foundation which identifies the Top 5 U.S. cities with the lowest and highest tourism taxes.

Listed as the five lowest tax burdened cities out of 50 destinations studied, three Florida cities topped the list  - Fort Lauderdale was first, Fort Myers second and West Palm Beach in third. Following in fourth was Detroit and Portland was fifth.


According to the study, those five cities are lowest in both general sales tax and travel-related services such as car rental, hotel and meals.

On the flip side of the study, the five highest-tax imposing cities on travelers were in order: 1-Chicago, 2-New York City, 3-Seattle, 4-Boston, 5-Kansas City.

The study showed some drastic tourism tax differences between cities, in some cases 80 per cent more in comparison.

The study identified the Top 5 cities with the lowest discriminatory travel tax rates or travel-related services -- not including general sales tax - as being the California cities of Orange County in first, San Diego in second, San Jose third, Burbank fourth and Ontario fifth. The five highest discriminatory travel taxing cities are 1-Portland, 2-Boston, 3-Minneapolis, 4-New York City, 5-Chicago.

Paolo's Deal of the Day

Paolo has dug up a great air deal to Australia.

Sydney Airfare

 $749

Return from Vancouver

Airline: Air New Zealand

Air Taxes: $657 (approx)

Travel Period:

July 24 - Sept. 21, 2011

Ticketing until: July 28, 2011

Call: 1.866.929.6688

Good Boy Paolo!

Fairmont offers guests a Golden deal

The iconic Banff Springs Hotel is part of the Gold Floor promotion.

My friend at Fairmont Hotels, Mike Taylor, made my day by sending me word that the Canadian chain is offering simple guests like me the chance to sample its renowned executive Fairmont Gold rooms at bargain-basement prices. This is like flying Business Class at Economy Class prices, folks!

I've experienced Fairmont's Gold product several times and it's the best in the business, impressing me more than even Ritz-Carlton's executive floors.

Along with enhanced service, Gold floors also provide their own private reception desk, complimentary deluxe continental breakfast, evening hors d’oeurves and late night desserts, full honor bar, a residential-style, comfortable room décor with luxurious amenities, and many more specialized services and benefits. Through a partnership with Random House, guests also have access to fully-stocked Fairmont Gold Libraries featuring hot reads, best sellers, city guides and more.

For the business traveller, Fairmont Gold acts as a functional business centre away from the office. With private meeting spaces, staff to assist with light secretarial requests and wireless Internet access, guests can carry out business meetings without leaving the comfort of their hotel.

Fairmont Gold is boutique-style accommodations with the full-fledged services of a major hotel.

The special summer time Fairmont Gold rates start as low as $175 U.S. at the Fairmont Dallas - I just stayed there and it's a great hotel in a great location, right next to the city's famed Arts District.

Other Fairmont Hotels offering this incredible deal include:

The Fairmont Orchid - $440 US
The Fairmont Washington, D.C. - $399 US
The Fairmont Copley Plaza (Boston) - $379 US
Fairmont Battery Wharf - $369 US
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler - $295 CAD
The Fairmont Banff Springs - $549 CAD
Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac - $429 CAD
The Fairmont Vancouver Airport - $375 CAD
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - $329 CAD
Fairmont Pacific Rim - $449 CAD
The Fairmont Waterfront - $349 CAD
The Fairmont Palliser - $255 CAD
The Fairmont Royal York - $295 CAD
Fairmont Chateau Laurier - $265 CAD
Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth - $315 CAD
Fairmont Peace Hotel (Shanghai) - $335 US
Fairmont Beijing - $309 US
The Fairmont Southampton (Bermuda) - $479 US
The Fairmont Hamilton (Bermuda) Princess - $999 US
Fairmont Nile City - $255 US

For a full list of locations and promotional rates, or to make a reservation please visit www.fairmont.com/promo/gold.

Cambridge enjoying a tourism revival thanks to the new Duke and Duchess

Our friends over at VisitBritain, the fine tourism arm of the British government, confirmed a few days ago what I predicted would happen the day Prince William and Kate Middleton were named the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - that historic Cambridge would quickly become a must visit for tourists.

You didn't have to be a Cambridge professor to figure that out.

And so, just after two months of their marriage, Cambridge's tourism officials say guided tours of the city are up 25 per cent over the same period last year.

And it's all because of two people who don't even live in Cambridge - Prince William is completing his training as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Coast Guard and the couple are living in a quaint Welsh village near his base.

However, that's not stopping the tourists from arriving.

“We’re delighted that Prince William and Kate Middleton were issued the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,” says Emma Thornton, Visit Cambridge's head of tourism. “William and Kate are a modern and dynamic couple who we believe have and will broaden the appeal of Cambridge as a visitor destination.”

A VisitBritain-commissioned report released earlier this year revealed that history and culture – particularly when linked to the monarchy – contribute significantly to the country’s unique appeal as a holiday destination. More than 10,000 foreign tourists were given a list of 18 things that can only be done in Britain and asked to pick the ones they’d like to do most. The top three choices were, in order of importance:
- To go on a tour of Welsh castles;

- Visit Buckingham Palace;

 - Stay the night in a Scottish castle.

Here's some royal facts you might like to know about Cambridge:

- Two years after his conquest of England, in 1068, William of Normandy built a castle on what is now Castle Hill, Cambridge.

- The city's famed King’s College was founded by Henry VI in 1441 and the college’s chapel, completed during the reign of Henry VIII in 1544 boasts an elaborate interior.

- Trinity College is considered a favoured place for successive generations of royals to be educated – including the late Edward VII and Prince Charles, the new Duke of Cambridge's father.

- The Queen’s mother received an honorary degree from the university in October 1948 making her the first woman to receive one from the University.

- The husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and a number of other royals have graced the University of Cambridge as its chancellor over the years. This honour is currently held by Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, who has been Chancellor of the University of Cambridge since 1976. He is due to step down from the role this year.

Panama is a very impressive place

Panama City is as modern a metroplis as Hong Kong.

Just got back from my Panama visit and my first impression of this new kid on the block tourist destination is I'm very impressed.

Panama is much more than a canal - which, I must admit, is one of the most impressive man-made structures I've ever seen; right up there with China's Great Wall and Egypt's pyramids.

Panama City, the capital, is a fast-paced vertical metropolis that's as exciting as Hong Kong, New York or London - lots of great restaurants, brand new hotels (like the about to open Trump Tower), old world charm in its Old Town district and an exciting nightlife that's spiced up with lots of casinos and clubs.

The people of Panama are friendly - a bit shy and certainly not as in your face as Brazilians, but they are welcoming and always flash a smile.

Of course, as I discovered, Panama's ecology is second to none and its eco-tourism sector, that feature rain forest safaris and jungle walks that lead to breathtaking waterfalls even impressed a couch potato like me.

Some people are calling South and Central America the new Caribbean. I couldn't agree more. The Caribbean is too costly for me and the beach resorts one finds in Panama and the rest of Latin America offer much better value.

Okay, I know there's always a safety concern about Latin America. Get over it folks. The drug dealers have all moved north to Mexico from places like Colombia and the only thing you have to be afraid of in Panama is the giant-sized insects that look like jumbo jets.

Speaking of Colombia - a place I can't wait to visit - people in Panama were telling me their neighbour - Panama once belonged to Colombia - is the next tourist hot spot in this region.

I flew with Copa Airlines to Panama and the Panama City-based carrier, which will soon become a member of Star Alliance along with Air Canada, is superb in every way - service and reliability are right up their with the 5-star carriers.

Business is booming in Panama and my plane was full of Canadian business executives headed to Panama City to make big deals in mining and finance. One of the biggest banks in Panama is our own Scotiabank.

One of the fastest growing demographics in Panama is retirees, mostly from the U.S. and Canada. Here you can get downtown Pacific Ocean-view condos for about $140,000 and over on the Caribbean side of the country, Canadian developers are about to open condos along the Atlantic Ocean coast for about the same price.

I highly recommend Panama as a vacation destination and Copa Airlines is a great way to get there.

Paolo's Air Deal Today is Paris

Paolo dug up another great air deal today!

Paris Airfare

$629

Return from Toronto

Airline: KLM

Air taxes: Approx. $486

Travel Period: 

June 24 - Sept. 10, 2011

Ticketing until: June 29, 2011

Call: 1.866.929.6688

Good Boy Paolo!

Airlines collect $3.5B in bag fees

Airlines are making
bags of money off us.

Just came across a new report from  Standard & Poor's showing once again how airlines are running off with bags of our money.

According to a Standard & Poor's study released this week, U.S. airlines collected $3.5 billion in extra bag fees from consumers last year - a 24 per cent increase over 2009! Most U.S. airlines charge a $50 fee per bag now.

Add that to the "fuel surcharges and air taxes" airlines are allowed to pass along to passengers without ever having to justify the amounts - in many cases, air taxes and fuel surcharge, which amounted to over $21 billion in total last year, account for more than the ticket - and you can see why airlines are doing very well these days despite their claims to the contrary.

"If it weren't for the fees, the airlines would most likely be losing money," rationalized Jim Corridore, airline analyst with Standard & Poor's.

According to the Standard & Poor's survey, Delta generated the most revenue from bag fees — $952 million — followed by the combined United and Continental at nearly $655 million. American collected $580 million and US Airways $513 million.

To be fair to the airlines, though, I should point out that the cost of jet fuel rose 37 per cent over the same period last year.

And, according one airline analyst, passengers have no one to blame but themselves for all this
"Unfortunately, for the airlines when they try to roll $50 into the ticket prices, people stop buying tickets," said Rick Seaney CEO of FareCompare.com.

As an airline passenger, these extra fees make me so sick I just want to grab a barf bag!

Paolo's Travel Deal Today

Paolo digs up great air deals every day!

Tokyo Airfare

$640

Return from Toronto

Air Taxes: $695.17 (appox.)

Travel Period:

Oct. 23 – Dec. 13, 2011

Dec. 25, 2011 – Jan. 2, 2012

Jan. 7, 2012 – March 21, 2012

April 1, 2012 – May 3, 2012

Ticketing until: April 30, 2012

Call: 1.866.929.6688

Good boy Paolo!

Disney ups admission prices again!

Has someone in the Magic Kingdom been smoking magic mushrooms?

I ask that after learning today that for the second time in less than a year Disney is raising admission prices at its Disneyland (Los Angeles) and Disney World (Orlando) theme parks - as much as 11.1 per cent in some cases. At Disney World, prices for a one-day pass will now cost $85 U.S. (up from $82); a five-day pass will cost $251 (up 5.9 per cent); and a 10-day pass will cost $291 (up 11.1 per cent).

So, at a time when travellers are looking for vacation bargains to offset the lingering effects of a troublesome economy and higher fuel prices, the folks at Disney sock it to us - how Goofy is that?

"We regularly evaluate and adjust our pricing and continue to focus on providing one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences at a great value," Disney spokesman Bryan Malenius told msnbc.com. "Our research tells us that nearly all our guests agree that a Disney theme park experience is a strong value."

Does Bryan and the rest of the Disney brass not read newspapers? Do they not see that consumers can't afford higher prices for luxury items like vacations? Has the once proud operation brought to life by the late Walt Disney turned into such a Mickey Mouse operation that they can only come up with ways to gouge the public instead of cutting prices to help them in these times of need?

I sit here writing this blog with my mouth open in amazement that Disney has the balls to pass along its bad business practices onto us.

Walt Disney must be spinning in his grave - he's probably reached China by now, which, by the way, is where Disney will be building its newest theme park in Shanghai. Maybe the increase on consumers here is to offset the high cost the Chinese are making Disney pay for its new Shanghai venture.

I know a travel company in Toronto who has been trying to sell Disney products to consumers for the last three months and they have not had one sale - lots of inquiries but as soon as people see the admission prices and the on site hotel accommodation Disney charges, they quickly hang up, my sources tell me.

The arrogance of Disney is almost laughable if it wasn't so sad.

Paolo's Newest Travel Deal

My pooch Paolo digs up great air deals.

Dubai Airfare

$802

Return from Toronto

Air Taxes: $549 (approx.)

Travel Period:

July 15 – Sept. 10, 2011

Ticketing until: June 10, 2011

Call: 1.866.929.6688

Good boy Paolo!