Nepal Research Project - Refining the Methodology

(this is a blog, not a podcast)

3 January 2007

We did three interviews yesterday. It was the first time that we were able to test our methodology to see if it worked. (The preliminary methodology is discussed in detail in a recent Geography for Travelers podcast, though I will also get into those details again here.) The night before I was telling Kevin that there were two concerns that I had about the methodology. The first was that because the two techniques were based on standard methods used by other researchers in the past, it was not really focused on environmental and social change, and as such the results we get may be unrelated to our research problem. The photographs we collected were historical in nature (both old and new), but that alone might not be enough to get people to naturally talk about changes over time. The only way we can know if this is the case is to test the methodology.

For the full text of the blog entry go here:
http://seasiatourism.blogspot.com/2007/01/nepal-research-project-refining.html

Photo: Lobby of the Hotel Tibet in Kathmandu

FYI - You can see all the photos from my trip to Nepal at: http://flickr.com/photos/alew
-- see the Nepal Set of photos

Nepal Research Project - At the Bangkok Airport

(this is a blog, not a podcast)

1 January 07

I am sitting at gate C5 at the Bangkok international airport, listening to the Slashdot Review podcast on a small RCA Lyra mp3 player, while recording some of the sounds of the waiting room on my iRiver. The sounds include different languages and a video screen showing a black and white documentary of the early life of the King of Thailand (the 60th year of his reign is being celebrated in 2007). The video’s narration is in Thai, though I think only a minority of the passengers here are actually Thai.

For the Full Text of this blog entry, go here:
http://seasiatourism.blogspot.com/2007/01/nepal-research-project-at-bangkok.html

G4T #48: Environmental & Social Change in Nepal - Part 2

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

Today's podcast is part two of my discussion of a research project that I am undertaking in Nepal. This first podcast in this series discussed the "problem statement" -- the environmental and social change issues and how we framed them. In today's podcast I discuss our research methodology and the theoretical rational for the methodology. We will be using photographs to elicit responses from residents Kathmandu and the Khumbu region. Theoretically, the methodology is focused on Social Exchange Theory.

Travelography #60: Travelography: Record Christmas Travel and Travel Industry Mergers

(click on the title above to download the .mp3 file from the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

A new record number of US travelers will take to the air this Christmas holiday. A long anticipated wave of airline merger appear to be building, as both hostile take over moves and rumored merger discussion make headlines in the Us and abroad. The results good be bad news for travelers. And Travelocity (and Sabre) is sold for over US$4 billion, as other parts of the travel industry are also feeling the merger frenzy.

Travel to Increase 2.2 Percent for Christmas-New Year's Holiday, Says AAA
Talks may signal airlines' consolidation
AirTran offer for Midwest could spur more mergers
Airline industry poised for shake-up?
Travelocity's parent company sold for $4.4B

Travelography at Podcasternew.com
Travelography on Del.icio.us - an archive of travel news stories that have note made it into the Travelography Podcast

Travelography #56: NW Hawaii Makes 7 Wonders List, and a New Abba Museum

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

The relatively new Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument was named to a New Seven Wonders of the World list created by USA Today and ABC News. (Not to be confused with the Other New Seven Wonders list that is currently being voted on.) And visitors may soon again be welcome at Monument's Midway Island. Meanwhile, a new museum devoted to the pop group, Abba, will be opening in Stockholm next year. And, first there were smoke free hotels rooms -- now we are getting smoke free states and countries!

Underwater Wonder: Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument

Hawaii's Outer Kingdom

The New Seven Wonders (ABC News)

New 7 Wonders (election)

Visits to Midway Atoll could resume

Plans for ABBA museum unveiled in Sweden

Smoking gets snuffed out

Travelography #55: Amtrak Boost, Plane Dreams, and Macau Grows Up

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Amtrak saw its ridership grow this past fiscal year as it became more competitive with short flights in the eastern US. Boeing and Airbus are building more passenger comfort into their next generation of planes. And Macau, the only place in China where gaming is legal, is getting more tourists every month as new resort casinos are built.

Amtrak ridership increases

Aircraft Builders Try to Take Some of the Ordeal Out of Flying

Macau's visitor arrivals hit 2 million in October

G4T #47: Environmental & Social Change in Nepal - Part 1

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

In today's podcast I discuss a research project that I will be undertaking in Nepal. This is the first in a series of podcasts that will take you through my experience in initiating and doing this field research. This first podcast discusses the "problem statement" -- the issues and how we framed them. It is based on a proposal that I wrote with two colleagues this past summer to the US National Science Foundation. The proposed research was to examine the perceptions of Nepalis in the Khumbu region of Nepal (near Mt Everest) of environmental and social changes over the past 40 years. As a major trekking region, tourism is one of the key elements that we identify as affecting change in the Khumbu.

Links to items cited in this podcast:

1. InnerToob.com
2. Tourism, Recreation, And Climate Change, edited by C. Michael Hall and James E. S. Higham
3. PL376 - Planning for Sustainable Tourism - Northern Arizona University
4. The TPN Travel Show podcast - host: Doc Martin
   

Web 2.0 Travel Tools for Geographers

One of my other blogs is Web 2.0 Travel Tools, which I think most readers of this blog will find of interest. There are often times when I am not sure whether to post something on that blog or here. Well, over time, this blog has become almost exclusively for items related to my two podcasts. However, I do want to mention a few items from Web 2.0 Travel Tools that are especially geographical in nature...

Trippermap.com - is a webtool that I discuss that allows you to easily show your Flickr photos on a Google Map on your blog or web page. The paid version ($9.75/year) also allows you to create route lines on your map.

Everytrail.com - is a website where you can post the GPS route data for a hike, bike ride, or other short distance trip -- and then link photos to specific locations on that route.

WAYN.com (Where Are You Now?) - is a website where people post their locations around the world and in town so their friends can find them to meet up. You can update your WAYN information by an SMS text message.

Fresh Logic Atlas - a very cool Ajax-like atlas, mostly useful for city information.

If these sound interesting, click on the links to go to my full discussion of each. And go to Web20Travel.com to see the entire web blog.

Travelography #54: Passport Day is Jan. 23; and the Hassle of Visiting the US

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

January 23rd is Passport Day for all travelers flying into the US. US is perceived as the most difficult destination for international tourists to enter. To counter this, Bush pushes to expand the sometimes controversial US Visa Waiver program to more countries.

U.S. to require passports for nearly all air travelers

Survey: Visiting the USA is a hassle

Bush wants more countries in visa-waiver program

Travelography #53: Cell Phones on Planes & Boats; and Niche Travel Competes

PCN Travelography Podcast related post"> (click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Emirates Airlines may become the first to offer inflight cell phones use in January 2007. Cell phones may also be part of your next cruise experience. Niche travel products are gaining market share against the big online travel agencies. And, EMiles.com offer free miles for watching advertisements online.

Emirates hopes to be first with mobile phones

For better or worse, cell phones go to sea

Internet continues to revolutionize travel

Starting soon, companies will 'pay' you airline miles to look at their ads

e-Miles.com

Travelography #52: Austria, Iraq, Fiji, Europe, iPods & China Love Cruise

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Austrian Airlines is first European to return to Iraq. Fiji's political problems are impacting tourism. First class and business passengers to get iPod video support. The US is losing out to Europe in attracting Asian business and leisure travelers. And a cruise from Shanghai for millionaires and attractive single women only. (I guess I wouldn't qualify!)

Austrian Airlines First European Carrier to Fly to Iraq

Tension grips tourism industry in Fiji

Fiji military to tourists: There will be no coup

Fliers with iPods may soon be able to plug in

U.S. business tourism suffers on travel restrictions

China love boat for millionaires

Travelography #51: A Smoker's Airline; and More Smoke-Free + WWW Hotels

PCN Travelography Podcast related post"> (click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Smint Air bring luxury travel up in smoke. Europeans now overwhelmingly prefer non-smoking hotels. Why does the Internet cost more the more you pay for a hotel room? Online Flash travel brochures for everyone. And checkout the new Jewel Cave soundseeing tour on the Geography for Travelers podcast (stereo headphone recommended).

Airline for smokers will fly by March, founder says

European Hotel Guests Overwhelmingly Prefer a Smoke-Free Environment

Ring, ring: cell phones also checking in

‘Next generation’ of online brochures unveiled

Online Travel Brochures

G4T #46: Jewel Cave Undergound Soundseeing Tour

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

Jewel Cave National Monument is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, not far from Mount Rushmore. It is currently considered the second largest cave in the world (after Mammoth Cave in Kentucky), but only a small portion of it has actually been mapped, so it may be the largest cave system in the world. (Click Here for more information.)

I did the 1.5 hour tour of Jewel Cave last July and recorded the whole thing. I have edited it down to about 11 minutes, which I hope will wet your appetite to visit the cave in person. My visit was not a true spelunking experience, which they do offer, but which I don't think I could personally do. Multi-day spelunking trips require that you crawl through 7 inch spaces and carry out all of your personal wastes!

Special thanks to the great Ranger guide who took us on our walk through Jewel Cave!

[OOPS! The original file I uploaded was saved at a rate of 24000Hz, instead of my usual 22050Hz. This probably caused problems for most listeners. sorry about that. I have uploaded a new file that is correct.]

Travelography #50: Airlines Warm Planet, New Airport Security, + Vomit Comets

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Find out why airline growth could be disasterous for the planet! Innovations in airport security include 3-D baggage x-ray machines and RFID passenger tracking. And, you can now experience true weightlessness for under $4000 -- far less than a flight to the International Space Station or on Virgin Galactic. The "vomit comet", however, might not be for everyone!

New 'green' attack on airlines

Environmental Change Institute - Oxford University

TSA plan: X-ray for liquid bombs

New RFID tech would track airport passengers

More tourists weigh zero gravity flights

Travelography #49: Olympic Chinglish and Airline Profits and Mergers

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

San Francisco is hoping its top ranking by Conde Nast Traveler magazine among US cities will give it a boost in its bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. Beijing is working to cleean up its poor English grammar (known as Chinglish) ahead of the 2008 Olympics. US Airlines are about to report their most profitable year in the last five, though continuing problems in the industry will likely result in yet more merger.

San Francisco Wins as Global Travelers' Choice for the Best U.S. Destination City

A fresh attempt from China to wipe out `Chinglish’ ahead of Beijing Olympics

Chinglish examples and definition on Wikipedia

American to get airline-profit party started

US airlines looking seriously at consolidation