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Expected to be tested in England this year, Holiday Inn has decided to consider the hiring of human bed warmers to help guests get a good night’s sleep. These employees, dressed in all-in-one sleeper suits, will actually climb into your hotel bed before you in order to warm it up!
My research doesn’t exactly explain how they warm the bed, but my guess is that these “sleeper suits” simply allow an employee to join you in bed…but before you actually get in bed. Or, perhaps–no…better for this writer not go into other possible methods roaming through my head right now.
According to a sleep centre specialist, this could help restless business travelers and vacationers slip into a more restful and expedited slumber. Evidence shows that sleep starts in bed when body temperature starts to drop. The decline occurs partly because the blood vessels of the hands, face and feet open up and release heat. A warm bed is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed inhibits sleep. Think how warm your bed is after you’ve slept in it all night. Warm and cozy, huh?
Holiday Inn spokeswoman Jane Bednall likens the service to “having a giant hot water bottle in your bed, warming it up before you climb in…”
She also states (you were wondering; admit it!) “of course they [the employees] jump out before you jump in.”
The human bed warmers will be a free service to hotel guests.
…if you’re so inclined.
Not to keep on bashing the airlines, but …OK, yeah, I’m bashing the airlines. They deserve it. They bring it on themselves and frankly, I’m tired of being mistreated. Even if the flight’s on time and I do get my Diet Coke before landing, the frill-less, kind-less and effort-less experience we are subjected to these days are worthy of some bashing.
Give us some legroom!
Let us recline!
Stop nickle-and-diming us with surcharges, fees, add-on and taxes we never heard of.
Flight Attendants; you are cordially invited to please be lazier. Its less of an effort to smile than it is to frown.
Gate Agents; you, too, are cordially invited to be lazier. Its quicker to say ‘let me see what I can do for you’ than it is to deal with the after-effect of a quick NO!
Baggage Handlers: You can get to your smoke break a lot quicker if you treat our luggage with as much respect as you’d care for us to treat yours. Think about how much quicker you can load the plane if you didn’t have to pick up all the broken pieces of that suitcase you just tossed onto the conveyor belt…and missed, causing it to literally fly to the ground.
Speaking of….I bet United Airlines wished they had this moment-in-time, back-in-time to avoid this youtube video that has has over 8 million hits. Enjoy…and then, I propose that we all take a stand. Call a congressman, make a youtube video, send letters…do whatever you can to stop this harassment and give us back our dignity while flying. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo
You hear this Spirit Airlines- who just started charging for carryon bags??? That rule just don’t fly!
Once upon a time, long long ago…..the airlines giveth. Today and for the forseeable tomorrow, they taketh. And taketh and taketh and taketh. They have taketh so much that what more can they taketh? We no longer have food, free lugguge, leg room or even kindness from the angels bestowed upon us to serve us.
What we’d like the airlines to do for us, provide for us and change for us endlessly grows as the airlines seem to endlessly do less for us, provide less for us and change things more into a regiment than a pleasant experience…for us.
“For us” – what a concept. Aren’t we the ones paying the fares, taxes, surcharges, baggage fees, security fees, onboard food, upgrades…even for the right to sit in a certain row that supposedly has more legroom? And get this; Spirit Airlines just announced that they are now charging for carryon luggage. That’s right–carryon luggage! Insert “OMG” here! For shame, Spirit. For shame! That’s NOT the spirit.
Couple all this with the potential usual annoyances of being in a confined place with large numbers of people and well, maybe its time that the new Passenger Bill of Rights becomes more biblical. I propose The Ten Commandments of Flying Etiquette:
1. Thou shalt place thou carry-on bags in the overhead bin directly above thou seat -It’s frustrating to book a seat towards the front of the plane hoping to quickly get away upon landing, only to find the compartments above your seat are full. That means either waiting for everyone else to get off the plane or fighting your way upstream like a salmon to find your bag that ended up back about 15C. Passengers should be required to use the space allotted for their seat, and that’s it.
2. Thou shalt pack lightly and be rewarded– Its baffling how much people feel they need to bring with them while traveling. Folks–figure out how to do with less!! Please!! Trust me, you can do it. I’ve lead groups on 12 night journeys where someone was forced to go without their belongings due to lost luggage and you know what? They survived. And thrived! Buying a few things…borrowing a few things…and having a few things in their carryon made for a fine accompaniment of possessions. And how liberating it was to not have to schlep! I propose a free meal, free headset, free drink…or extra recline space for those who meet a certain lightweight standard.
3. Airlines shall tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth –Airlines should be required to clearly list all booking and in-flight fees up front. The new Passenger Bill of Rights is a start, but we need more. How about a real explanation about the flight delays? Admit when minor malfunctions are major — and that they should have been repaired the night before. Tell us as soon as you know we’ll have to go into a holding pattern and why. And stop padding the itinerary so you can boast about on-time arrival. Don’t insult our intelligence.
4. Though shalt respect thy need to share– A recent poll by Trip Advisor found that nearly 2/3 of respondants feel that large travelers should be required to buy two tickets. But even if your width stays within the confines of your seat, you’re still crammed in like a sardine. So we urge airlines to restore shrinking legroom back to the masses. Only JetBlue ensures passenger comfort in steerage. If we look at it from purely a safety standpoint, studies have found that minimum legroom standards help safeguard against blood clots, a potentially fatal risk for those spending lengthy immobile periods in cramped quarters.
5. Ye shall turn down the volume and turn up the service. Are, what amounts to 9 or 10 different announcements made on a 2 hour flight really necessary? First, its about taking your seat quickly, then its about storing your carryons, then where we’re going, what the weather is, the emergency talk (ok, this one’s necessary), how high we’re flying (does it really make a difference to you if we’re flying at thirty one or thirty two thousand feet?), then about food purchases…yada yada yada. Oh, and will someone please adjust the volume of the loudspeaker? I can’t hear my cellphone ring.
6. Cleanliness is close to G-dliness– especially at 30,000 feet in a confined airplane with recycled air.
7. If thou must pay, thee must clean– There’s a reason health professionals often cite aircrafts as virtual petri dishes. Collecting plastic cups, fast-food wrappers, and newspapers isn’t sufficient. Change every seat-back doily, spray disinfectant throughout the plane, and really scrub the lavatory. And we’d appreciate it if you would check the seats and seatback pockets for chewed gum.
8. Thou shalt covet thy neighbor’s need for sleep– Just because you can use your cell phone while we are taxiing to the gate doesn’t mean we need to hear every detail of where you’re going to meet your ride. And if you’re in a middle or window seat, please pee before takeoff so that those who you must disturb to do it right after takeoff don’t get peed off. Oh, and Ms. Flight Attendant–That drink cart that your racing up the aisle like Danika Patrick at the Daytona 500. It hurts when you bang the metal corner into my elbow. Slow the bleep down.
9. Airlines shall flock thou sheep in large fields– Imagine how much easier it would be if people could board using both the front and back of the plane. There’d be a less persistent threat to on-time departures (and annoying announcements about such). Those who attempt to board out of their “zone” or before their row number is called should be publicly shamed and sent to the back of the boarding line.
10. If your connection is tight, respect the angel in flight- The loudspeaker announcement requesting that those with a tight connection be allowed to deplane first, just doesn’t hack it. Keep the seatbelt sign on and escort those passengers off first. Then you won’t be holding planes for passengers delayed on other flights. That’s a win-win situation. And the crew should call ahead to the connecting flight and ensure the passenger can board (even if the bags don’t). Every once in a while, a sympathetic flight attendant will go out of their way to make sure people get where they need to go, but think how much nicer it would be if this was law.
Now…let us all say, Aaaaahhhmen!
Amazing Journeys 11th Annual sojourn to 
Add to this a great group of traveling friends and you have a vacation that only dreams are made of.
Particularly when the frigid wrath of winter gusts across North America, few places lure like the Caribbean. Beaches with champagne-hued sand, infinitely clear water layered in deep greens and blues and tiki huts in a tropical breeze; those cliche images of a Caribbean vacation are accurate to a tee, and pretty much define relaxed resort living. But there are some things you should know about traveling in this region, as the Caribbean is home to some danger zones. And while most tourists will never face a threat during their vacations, dangers still exist in the prettiest of places.
Here are some islands where tourists should take extra care:
Jamaica –From its towering waterfalls, rushing rivers and the honeymoon-and-cruise ship havens Jamaica is one of the Caribbean’s most stunning islands. More than one million tourists visit here every year, most without incident. All-inclusive resorts operate as gated communities of sorts, and you’re unlikely to encounter any danger within their confines. Cruise ships offer organized tours that are quite legitimate and safe. But the country as a whole has one of the highest murder rates in the world (uncomfortably close to that of Colombia), and venturing off the beaten path anywhere in Jamaica should be approached with a serious measure of caution. Tourists should either cruise in or opt to fly into Montego Bay’s airport instead of Kingston. The danger of murders and robberies is a threat around West Kingston, and there have been reports of increased violence and gunshots on the Mountain View road, along the route to the Norman Manley International Airport. If you rent a car to tour the country, consult with locals on road conditions, as landslides may have erased sections of main roads. Never stop for any reason on lonely stretches of road.
Antigua –Several high-profile murders in recent years, including the violent January 2010 stabbing of a cruise ship passenger near popular Pigeon’s Point Beach, are indicative of a rising crime problem on this beautiful island, which has long been popular with the yachting set. Antigua’s population is 80,000, but the island’s per capita murder rate is roughly triple that of New York. Illegal drug activity is a major problem and has been tied to increased reports of violent crime. Most often, it’s a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lessen your odds of encountering a threat by avoiding walking outside at night (take a taxi to your destination if you head off resort property, and ask the driver to return to pick you up at a specific time). If you arrive in Antigua by cruise ship, be sure to book land-based activities only with verified operators. Independent travelers should seek advice from reputable hotels when planning excursions.
Bahamas – Just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, the Bahamas are a string of diverse islands home to everything from placid villages that are likely as safe as your own neighborhood to dangers zones best off avoiding entirely. A recent surge in violent crime in Nassau, the Bahamian capital and its largest city, means tourists are best off avoiding New Providence Island altogether (if your cruise ship stops here, inquire with the concierge for the most up-to-date safety information). Petty crime is a problem throughout the country. As a general rule, the Out Islands tend to be the safest havens for both resort tourists and intrepid travelers looking to venture off the beaten path by staying in small guest houses and dive resorts.
Trinadad and Tobago –These neighboring islands off the coast of Venezuela comprise one nation and offer a rich visitor experience-although not without threat. There have been increased reports regarding violent crimes and murder in Tobago. Visitors flying into Trinidad’s Piarco Airport should be particularly vigilant, as armed robbers have been known to follow newly arrived passengers to remote areas of the airport parking lots or even to accost them on the road to the city of Port of Spain. Tourists should avoid walking around downtown Port of Spain at night, and should not stop at scenic overlooks after dark.
Dominican Republic – The country that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti has long been popular with European tourists, and increased flights from North America of late have lead to a surge in tourism from our part of the world. Petty crime is a problem throughout the island, but the thing worth worrying about here is Dengue Fever–a mosquito borne disease that is endemic to the Dominican Republic. Malaria, although a lesser issue, is sometimes seen, too (after Haiti, the DR is the riskiest place in the Caribbean for mosquito borne diseases). Tourists staying at the beach resorts in the country’s eastern La Altagracia province should be extra vigilant by applying insect repellants with DEET and wearing skin-covering clothes, particularly at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Visitors who venture into the countryside for adventure activities are particularly prone to come into contact with disease-carrying mosquitoes.
By all means, don’t let any of these or other warnings keep you from your dream vacation. Some vigiliance, preparation and basic common sense are most of what you need to avoid adding any risk to your much needed vacation. If you sit back…relax….and be smart, you can enjoy the ride as much a puppy with his head out the window of your highway drive in the car.
For more information on other experiences you can be a part of on an Amazing Journey, visit https://amazingjourneys.net/
Go on…guess.
Its not what you think.
…As a tour leader I am often witness to many moments of bliss as lifelong dreams of seeing far away lands are fulfilled. These once-in-a-lifetime snapshots of time are a driving force behind me loving what I do so much.
As a byproduct of leading my own clients, I also get to watch the goings-on of other travelers who may be sharing in some similiar experiences. Most every tour begins and ends in an airport somewhere, and here is where the truest emotions of travel rear their moments in time. For some its anxiety as one enters a new country for a first time. For others its excitement because “I’m finally here!”, and the dream of seeing a new land is about to be fulfilled. For many, however, its an arrival of emotion when after finally landing, navigating through customs proceedings and finding baggage one can exit the rooms of rules and enter a room of reunion with loved ones.
I’ve been fortunate to spend, on occasion, upwards of 6-7 hours on a given day welcoming my arriving passengers in the baggage claim area of a foreign airport. While standing on my feet for that amount of time holding a welcome sign and assisting my passengers is a burden on the lower extremeties, the emotional gamet of arriving passengers gives the sideline observer more pleasure than the first lick of a chocolate ice cream cone on a hot summer day.
This is a feel-good phenomenon that few people, I believe, have ever considered as a true lifting of one’s spirits….but I suggest a step outside the box of life’s usual pleasures for a moment to experience the true G-Spot of the universe.
The joys of seeing a little child run into his daddy’s arms after he returns home from a business trip, or a boyfriend/girlfriend reunion after months apart, or an emotional wife or mother embracing their military son after a deployment to Iraq….or the first sight by grandparents of a newborn grandchild are all moments-in-time best seen in, of all places, the baggage claim area of any airport.
If you’re ever feeling blue, just take a ride to the airport and head over to the international arrival area and get a good spot among the sign holders, limo drivers and tour leaders. I promise you, before the first plane deposits its final passenger you will be smiling ear to ear feeling the love and joy of the reunions of loved ones.
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