Brooding, smoky, dark eyed Cairo. I didn’t stand a chance with that shameless seductress. She had me at ‘Salam wa aleikum.’ Later, Khaled had me. After an evening of great food, laughing people and grinding belly dances – you almost don’t need sex. OK, not really. And maybe that’s why everyone seems so ridiculously happy there. Even the grubbiest street vendor acts like he holds the secret to life. Personally, I think it’s all the spices.
Whatever her secrets, Cairo needs our help, Pumpkins. Send her your heart.
Back on this side of the globe, Pumpkins all over Canada are searching for the meaning of travel. Calgary tethered Lesley Keyter felt she had to share her own experiences with me. Why? I don’t know really, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her to keep her problems to herself. She’s generally a nice person, I suppose. Not that that’s any excuse for whining on and on and on. Goodness, Lesley, don’t you have work to do?
Lesley’s “sharing”:
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAVEL AGENT
I’m back from my Seabourn cruise. Yes I know, you can’t carry on living in the lap of luxury if you want to run a business – at least a travel business that is. Sooner or later you get back to reality – with a thump if I might add – a Tunisian Thump! What a time for a revolution. Just as we’ve been selling our souls along with packages to this safe, Western friendly Arab style destination. Ah well – this is pay back for all the relaxing cocktails I had on the deck of Seabourn pretending to be one of the aficionados of luxury travel.
Tunisia - who knew?
What to do with all the booked passengers? Fine and dandy for those departing in the days after the Jasmine Revolution - but what about those with departures in February or March? Are they madly keen to go to a destination when there is a travel advisory out? Not really. But Air France insists they are flying there and that these people can either get their butts on the planes or cough up a $300 per person cancellation penalty. Mmm - not very consumer friendly.
Of course the whole problem could have been averted if said passengers had taken travel insurance. We've all heard it before: "No need for travel insurance, honey. I am going on that trip come hell or high water.” If you would give me a dollar every time I heard that ... well I admit I would still have to work but I might be toting a nice new D&G purse.
And now Cairo is in full uprising. So much for getting my passengers around the Sphinx and down the Nile.
And let’s not forget to give an honourable mention to all the bright little pumpkins who popped by this week -- “I know I don’t have an appointment but I just want a ball park figure for a trip to Brazil.” Now I understand those acronyms my texting children (grandchildren??) use: WTF!! OK let me just pull this one out my butt! This is a very one-sided commitment relationship. I give – you take – you take card – you give no name. Not in my world sister!
People – we are experts. Don’t give them Nada! You think they will come back and book. No siree. They just want the printout – like it is some Holy Grail that will give them entrance to the eternal kingdom of all inclusive happiness. Do I sound a tad bitter? Well, I have to admit that perhaps I am a tad. Come to think of it, my girls (I only employ children) have all said I do sound a bit grumpy today.
Thank goodness the day was brightened by a visit from Andrew Appleyard of Exodus. Apart from his lovely English accent and Cockney slang, he is a fascinating person who has travelled the world and so he brought a little bit of Everest, Kilimanjaro, Galapagos and Syria right to my desk. Now this is why I am in travel. It's challenging, exotic, sexy, interesting, frustrating and immensely satisfying.
Anyone else care to share?
