Travelography #83: Passport Cards + Errors - and - Cruise Deaths + Taxes

This is a PCN Travelography Podcast related post. Use the players on this page, or click the title above to listen to this podcast.

A passport card will soon to be tested for US citizens traveling in North America. With the flood of new applications, about 1% of new US passports are found to contain errors. Along with a rise in passengers, cruise ship deaths are also increasing. And Alaska struggles to tax gaming revenues on cruise ships.

U.S. to test passport card for border crossings

Got your passport? You sure it's OK?

Number of Cruise Ship Jumpers Appears Headed for Record

missing link to AK cruise tax story - sorry

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G4T #56: A Soundseeing Trip to China's Danxiashan World Geopark

This is a Geography for Travelers Podcast related post (click on the title above to open the .mp3 file)

Danxiashan is a sandstone mountain region adjacent to the city of Shaoguan in northern Guangdong Province in China (north of Hong Kong). The landform is similar to the sandstone regions of northern Arizona (Sedona) and southern Utah, but in a subtropical vegetation zone.

I was at the Danxiashan World Geopark last week and recorded this week's Geography for Travelers Podcast while hiking around on the top of one of the more visited peaks.

My photos of Danxiashan and the surrounding area can be found here:
- http://flickr.com/photos/alew/tags/danxiashan/



Notes:

1. Due to time constraints we did not go to Danxiashan's two most famous rock formations -- the male rock and female rock. A search on those terms will find photos of these two less-than-family-suitable stone formations.
2. This soundseeing tour was recorded on my Zoom H4 stereo recorder. Wear earphones for the best experience.

The Geography for Travelers Podcast is found at http://travelgeography.info

Travelography #82: Return of the Travel Agent, Family Travel, and Gladiators

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Frustrated with the Internet, a growing number of travelers are returning to travel agencies. A poll of American Express travel agents found Family Travel to be one of the hottest growth areas this year. And a Roman Gladiator attacks a American Tourist in Rome.

Happy Returns for Travel Agents

Caribbean Family Travel

Fake Roman soldier snaps over size of tourists’ tip

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Travelography #81: Private vs Commercial Jets - and - Airlines Banned in EU

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Commercial airlines accuse private jets of not paying their fair share of the cost of upgrading air traffic controls in the US. The European Union bans all Indonesian airlines from Europe. And US airlines get and "F" for corporate responsibility.

Let's Fix ATC (air traffic control)

Get on Board - ATC reform

Airlines Seek Small-Jet Limits in New York for July 4 Holiday

EU extends airline ban to all Indonesian operations in latest blacklist

Big Six airlines fail crisis management 101

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ADDENDUM: Correction to my comments on US Airlines and Crisis Management: American Airlines gave $500 vouchers (with limitations) to customers who they left stranded at the DFW airport last December to compensate for the trouble they caused.

Travelography #80: Africa Tourism Growth; China & Singapore Open Their Doors

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Despite major challenges, Kenya's tourism revenues increase and Mozambique sees a rise in tourism numbers. China will fully open its domestic market to foreign travel agencies for the first time this year. And young tourists from selected developed countries can seek employment in Singapore during their holiday visits.

Kenya records increased earnings in tourism

Hunting tourism revenues in Mozambique rise 27.6 pct in 2006

China opens domestic travel market to foreign travel agencies

Singapore to encourage tourists to look for jobs

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