Elite World News

To make our annual top 10 list of best adventure bargains, a trip can’t merely be affordable. Anybody can do cheap, and cheap isn’t always good. A real bargain adventure has to work hard for the money you put into it, offering you a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, teaching you new skills you can apply elsewhere, or providing a depth and breadth of experiences at a cost you’d be hard pressed to match on your own. The very best bargains do all three.
(Full post The 10 Best Adventure Travel Bargains of 2008…)

The next big frequent flyer devaluation is underway. Alaska beat Delta to the punch by a few days, but both lines unveiled new three-tier award schedules that replace the traditional two tiers. In short, you’ll have to pay more miles for even a slim-chance seat on many trips and a lot more miles for a reasonable chance at a seat for any trip. Look for other big lines to follow, in short order.

The biggest change is from Delta, which has converted almost all its awards to three levels:

• The base award level for domestic and most international coach/economy travel remains at the almost-universal 25,000 miles.

(Full post Big Frequent Flyer Changes Are Here…)

CASA on Sunday appointed a team of six experts – including an engineer, inspectors and safety systems specialists – to investigate the airline's response to recent faults and monitor its maintenance procedures.

"There have been a number of incidents recently and it's important that we go in and double check and make sure that all the standards have been maintained," a CASA spokesman, Peter Gibson, said.

"We want to say to the travelling public that everything is OK."

In the latest mishap on Saturday, a 767 bound for Manila began spraying hydraulic fluid from a steering unit on take-off from Sydney.

(Full post Qantas checks stepped up…)

The airline's commercial general manager, Adrian Hamilton-Manns, said yesterday that the service between Auckland and Melbourne would start in September, with the introduction of an eighth Boeing 737-800, "Canterbury Belle".

(Full post Pacific Blue adds to Tasman schedule…)

Flights were delayed, passengers said they were queueing for more than an hour, and scores of passengers found themselves waiting in line at the time their planes were due to take off today.

One traveller, Peter Merrill, said he and his wife, Katy, missed their 10.15am flight to Cairns.

They had hoped to race through the domestic luggage check-in when their previous flight from Shanghai to Sydney was delayed by 90 minutes this morning and arrived at 9.30am.

But that bid was dashed when they were greeted by spiralling queues at the luggage check-in.

"We heard the final boarding call not long after we joined the queue," he said.

"The next flight to Cairns is not until 1.25pm, but if that's all booked out then how are they going to get us all on the plane?" he asked.

Keryn Chisholm, 33, said staff had announced over a loudspeaker that a new check-in system was causing "extended delays".

Ms Chisholm was in the queue chaperoning her mother, who was flying to Brisbane.

After joining the queue at 9.45am and still waiting at 11am, with her mother's flight to Brisbane scheduled to leave at 11.05am, Ms Chisholm said: "Imagine testing this new system on a Monday morning.

(Full post Qantas check-in anger…)

My folks, the best support a girl could ask for Dear friends,   As many of you know, the past couple of years have been a period of change for me.  I ended a long relationship, attended a professional training program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, sold my apartment, quit my job, traveled and attempted to learn a little Spanish, roamed around Italy with a friend, and sublet an apartment in Boston to check it out as a place to live.  I’m no longer just a human being; I’m also a human doing, and it’s exhilarating.  But it has all led to… I don’t know what.    Ten years ago when I pictured my life at 37, this wasn’t it. Me and my cousin And
(Full post Whitewater rafting, sort of…)

  Since stumbling upon this website I’ve spent a quite a bit of time looking through other peoples blogs and have enjoyed the ‘pre departure’ entries. I think if i can make the occasional entry between now and when i fly it will help me to keep track of what i need to do, and also be great to look back on.

  It’s 10 weeks till i leave (not that I’m counting) and i everything has really started to take shape in the last few days.

*  I have confirmed my Voluntary placement, paid the initial fee & even received the free T-shirt (unsurprisingly, way too big!)

* I have booked my flight.
(Full post First taste of Thailand…)

Described as one of the world's most luxurious cruise liners, The Regent Seven Seas Voyager is scheduled to call in to the Port of Timaru on Waitangi Day next year.

It is the second year in a row Timaru has played host to a liner, but none have been this luxurious, Pacific Journeys' owner and director Julian Barton said yesterday.

The ship will dock at about 8.30 am and leaving about 2.30 pm.

In a twist of fate, Dunedin's port is booked with two cruise ships on February 6, meaning a third vessel would make things crowded, Mr Barton said — hence the decision for the Voyager to dock in Timaru.

"It would have swamped Dunedin with three ships in one day."

He said docking the ship in Timaru means it has exclusive use of the port.

Timaru will be the second-to-last New Zealand port the ship calls at on its world wide tour, before it moves on to Australia.

(Full post A world beauty bound for Timaru…)

We had been working in the Pinedale, WY area…finished up early…and ran into Jackson Hole for drinks and dinner.

Ted recommended Roadhouse Barbeque. Tanvi and I decided to split a sampler plate. Ted should have joined us.

The sampler plate was loaded with thick-sliced brisket, 1/4 bbq chicken, sausage, pulled pork and ribs.

Our glasses of sweet tea were never empty…as the waiter made sure we were taken care of.

On the drive back into Jackson Hole, we watched an Osprey snag a trout from the river and fly in front of us.
(Full post Roadhouse Barbeque…)

At some point, every frequent flyer program member looks at the balance on his monthly mileage statement, scratches his head, and wonders, “What’s a frequent flyer mile worth, anyway?”

We’ll get to that shortly. But putting the cart before the horse, it’s worth considering whether and why the question is worth our time.

There’s a twofold answer. First, an understanding of what determines the value of a mile is essential in getting the best return on investment when redeeming.

(Full post The value of a frequent flyer mile (Part 7 of 12)…)