Vamosez.📌

Sanctions vs. Sightseeing (à la January, 2020). 

It may not be St. Moritz or the Seychelles, but there are ski complexes and seafront resorts above the 38th Parallel.

And that is precisely where Taiwanese are headed, if and when Seoul can finalize negotiations with its brethren to the North.

A cautious first step, a wary toe in troubled waters: Not intrepid traveling, mind you—yet here, a little simple sightseeing is far better than the nuclear option.

In the face of stalled disarmament talks with Washington and crippling US/UN sanctions, Koreans are considering a tourism lifeline, South to North. The lodestars are improved economic cooperation and exchanges. Not least because tourism is one area that is not banned by international sanctions—be it tour programs or individual travel.

The Seoul idea is to provide North Korea with much needed cash revenue, which could in turn motivate Pyongyang to revisit the cobwebbed denuclearization negotiating table, thereby helping ease those crippling sanctions, once and for all.

Actually an earlier period of such inter-Korean crossings ended in 2008, after a South Korean tourist was shot at a Diamond Mountain (Kumgang) resort just over the North border. But that was then…

Now, Leader Kim Jong-un himself welcomes the return of South Korean tourists to his “world level” destinations, pledging to revamp the North’s train system, so as to grease those tourism rails.

Indeed, resumption of this interaction might afford the valuable lesson that travel can get us a lot further along the road to global peace and harmony than all the hard-boiled sanctions in the world.

Point being: better swapping beefy bulgogis than bombast or bombs…

Here’s To A Grand Summer ’Sault Finale.

Not to beLabor the point, but we are entering perhaps the most travel-heavy three-day weekend of the year.

So as you embark on one last holiday assault on summer, 2019, Vamigré can only hope you travel, and travel well—with minimal wait gains, delays or breakdowns, coming and going.

That while you may not pack everything you want, you’ll rightly cram in all you need. If driving, that gas prices continue on a downward trajectory, enabling you to cruise rather than stall or creep along, highways to backroads. Or that your plaintively exploited Uber driver keeps hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, without sneaking in a ‘safe rides’ surcharge.

That you don’t have to claw through the summer crush of crowded terminals, only to find that 737 MAXed out airlines  are shuffling, cancelling flights on the fly. Or piling on more onerous fees overall, while aggressively rigging weight limits on your checked baggage.

That TSA checkpoints will feature smarter scanners, smoother, more amicable carry-on inspectors and better explosive protection canines—particularly for those of us who haven’t signed on for TSA Pre-Check, much less biometric facial screening.

That an FAA still reeling from the 737 MAX/MCAS debacle and other safety/oversight shortfalls will continue to push for more air traffic control efficiency to decrease runway/taxiway and holding pattern delays. Namely by safely tightening miles-in-trail intervals between planes on flight paths, and better directing air traffic during stormy weather.

That once aboard, fever doesn’t set in even before takeoff. That you are braced for cramped seating on chronically longer flights. As per-seat fares rise while reclining and legroom space shrink by inch by square inch. That seat location is to your liking—front and rear cabin versus the comparatively safer middle row, especially emergency exit rows. And that, heads up, you don’t fall victim to overloaded overhead bins.

Moreover, that you may enjoy more restful in-cabin noise levels—decibel readings typically increasing front to back, aisle to window seating. And that you can best prepare to grab some Z’s despite it all, as by eating lightly pre-flight and hydrating throughout, with sleep aids such as neck pillows and eyeshades at the ready.

And should you be seeking some entertainment diversions, that onboard WiFi is strong and reliable, at bearable cost—minus such privacy invasions as surreptitious setback sensors and (monitoring) lenses.

Even that you may choose to carry along the wherewithal to ease inflight maladies, from poor cabin air circulation to too proximate air rage—like wellness aids such as easy reads/tunes, meditation and herbal teas. And that flight attendants are cordial and accommodating as they instruct you to do/behave the very same.

That once arrived, your AirBnB doesn’t turn out to be a snakepit or mistaken case of Air Breaking-n-Entering. Conversely, that your hotel stay doesn’t come with bedbugs or ‘resort fees’ (for gym, pool access, etc.) quietly tacked on to ‘bargain’ room rates. And that they’ll offer to comp you if weather and other local issues trip up your stay.

Otherwise, variously that treasured site and park spaces remain open to all comers; that park shuttles/services are more of a help than a hindrance. That any travel insurance you carry doesn’t unravel when you might need it the most. And so on and on…

Rest assured that if all else fails, Vamigré will be further unpacking these and myriad thorny travel issues in days to come. So in the meantime, no need to go flippin’ out as you famously Labor your summer Days away…

VamosOn! 

ps: And may you take more interesting ‘elsies’ than myopic ‘selfies’ along the way. Can’t wait to see your posts & galleries…V.B.

Hola—where you off to?

Where’ve you been? Wherever, climb aboard, for we have much ground to cover, let alone the vast seas and skies.

Today we are in motion like never before, some toward the better, some the worse. So Vamigré strives to champion the former while ameliorating the latter. Our enduring rallying cry being: Go freely, come better prepared.

Meaning travel is our terrain—travel as tonic and transcendence, not trial and tribulation. That true travel is a state of mind more than a matter of mileage. That shrewd Vamigrés are more concerned with how, than how lavishly, they spend their resources and times. And that travel is most rewarding when free-spirited, streamlined and safer than not—ever flying above the fray; below the radar, encroachments, stalls/humiliations and roadblocks. 

Vamigré Tripistry.

Writ larger, our trip is Schengen and bridges, rather than borders and walls. Yet we venture forth in a world of terror and turbulence, of random violence and wayward drones or gunsanity; of storms and squalls that threaten to disrupt, if not destroy our most promising experiences, near and far, at any moment, in any situation. Be it cities, provinces, shrines, resorts, lodging and cafes; in transport hubs and spokes most of all.

This, amid scenes of terminal back-ups and bottlenecks, whether due to onerous security procedures or carrier constrictions. Namely, the shrinking of now profit-fat airlines’ capacity and service, the lowering of fares and soaring of fees, constantly changing complexity of schedules, delay/cancellation remedies and pre/onboard conditions. The overcrowding of cabins, squeezing of seat size, the resulting worldwide spread of diseases and ailments—even as long-embargoed nations like Cuba still seek to fully open their doors.

Meanwhile other modes present their own shortcomings and shortfalls. Rail systems remain overtaxed, underfunded. Bus/motorcoach services and private vehicles navigate congested, crumbling infrastructure as government officials hoard or divert per-gallon fuel revenues. Too many hapless tourist types head like lemmings to overrun commercial tourism faux experiences, the scourge of mass manufacured tourism, at that.

It’s Turnaround Time.

Thus, from here on, the fix is in. Vamigré’s itinerary involves negotiating today’s maze of travel/tourism hype, loopholes and mis/disinformation. Thwarting the ‘tourrorists’, steering clear of de-tourism confusion and crowds—heading in better directions, often drawing from lessons past; navigating, for one thing, the glacial improvement of TSA security line performance.

That is, facilitating destination ‘Dispersion’ to embrace the otherways, save the otherwheres, toward more reasonable/alternative modes, less traveled roads, authentically rewarding, enlightening experiences, not mere merchandised movement.

It’s called thinking like a traveler, instead of a hapless tourist. Suddenly the world is at your feet, and the adventures begin just beyond your door. You learn to vigilantly chart your own exploits and challenge the travel/tourism industrial complex to serve rather than stifle your particular wanderlust.

We’re talking shared, collective consumer action and advocacy as fellow travelers, along with singular, self-fulfilling exploration. Social convergence, cohesion; solid travel journalism, duly recorded and conveyed, not just more craven junketeering. For instance, maybe we can’t control T/T supply, but we certainly can shape and influence demand.

So if you’re going our way, we’ve a whole world of stories to swap, experiences to share, information to unpack and people to come to know. Some good, some not so good—but we’ve slept in the Ritz and slept in the rain—it all evens out down the road.

We’re geared to book passage and take on our tempting, tempestuous world enlightened, diligently prepared, through a concerted Vamigré triad of inspiration, information and implementation. We’ll never over reign on your travel parade; neither will we mommycoddle the news.

Vamigré’s guiding principle being, The finest quality, most uniquely memorable travel experience for time, energy and money expended. Or just call it VamoSutra…

Now we best get movin’ directly—traveling widely, venturing wisely—challenging and surpassing the snags, snares, hazards and scams. Yes, flexing, getting heavy when need be; other times just hanging it real loose.

Because we’ve way miles and klicks to go before we drop or sleep—truth be told—and retold, don’t you know…

VamosOn,
V.B. Travlin’