Due to health reasons my partner is unable to join me in Spain this year. So I rejigged my return airfare to Canada by adding a multi city trip (box). How so? When I looked at booking a new one-way ticket home some itineraries had me change planes in "exotic" locales like Palma (Majorca) and The Azores. A lightbulb went on! How about I stay overnight for two or three days in each? The plane ticket wouldn't cost much more, I would just have to add hotels. So on the 31st I'll fly from Malaga to Palma for a couple of nights, then Lisbon for three and the Azores for two, then home.
Expect the Unexpected Travel
Travel writing in the popular media is one-sided. It’s all about how wonderful the new city, region or country you’re experiencing is. And there’s a lot about travel that's exciting; we wouldn't do it otherwise. But what it doesn’t address are the misunderstandings, mishaps and foibles that accommodate travel. But also the delightful surprises along the way. That’s what this blog intends to chronicle.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Getting out of a local travel rut, and flying multi-city for the price of one way
Due to health reasons my partner is unable to join me in Spain this year. So I rejigged my return airfare to Canada by adding a multi city trip (box). How so? When I looked at booking a new one-way ticket home some itineraries had me change planes in "exotic" locales like Palma (Majorca) and The Azores. A lightbulb went on! How about I stay overnight for two or three days in each? The plane ticket wouldn't cost much more, I would just have to add hotels. So on the 31st I'll fly from Malaga to Palma for a couple of nights, then Lisbon for three and the Azores for two, then home.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
'Supercharger' supercharged my account; and am I in a time warp?
It's called a "counterintuitive approach" to learning Spanish. And it sounded great, as many good things do but which result in disappointment. Spanish Supercharger is a course by a supposed UK author named Luke Colley who may or may not exist. He never responded to my emails despite constantly asking for feedback. I'm not necessarily criticizing his learning method, which indeed may be a faster way of learning Spanish as it emphasizes using words and verbs that are most conversational as opposed to language apps (hello Duolingo, which I have long used) which are a little more abstract and "rarely applied in real life." So I bit and bought the course advertised on Facebook on discount for about $20 Can from Pound Sterling. Only I ended up getting charged $40+. And as I say "Luke" never responded to my emails. This is the second item I've purchased from a FB ad (the first, ill-fitting boots) which I've been disappointed in. And it makes me never to want to buy anything on FB again.
Here are a few observations about life in Spain:
- I have yet to come across a retail store with self checkouts though apparently they exist. This includes everything from a convenience mini mart (my fave SuperCOR) to a Walmart like superstore (Alcampo). All cashiers all the time! I also like that at my local grocery (Carrefour, actually a France-based chain) you don't line up at individual checkouts but form a straight line and wait for the next cash to become free. Much more efficient.
- Spain may be governed by a socialist party but the country still seems awfully politically incorrect, almost in a time warp. There are still cigarette machines - cigarette machines! - in stores and restaurants though smoking itself is curtailed. As for marijuana, in case you were wondering, only through private clubs. And I have also yet to see a rainbow crosswalk.
- School buses are luxurious as per the pic (left). Intercity luxury coaches are simply chartered for school board use (see the yellow windshield card). Since Spain seems to be a country where efficiency is top of mind, does chartering private coaches save money over buying a school bus fleet? And for the bus companies they earn money when their coaches might otherwise not be in use during weekday hours?- Speaking of buses, transit systems here still make change, something that went out in North America in the 1970s. I marvel at this given that drivers also have to concentrate, you know, on driving. Yet all are experts on both fronts. Drivers also are well-groomed and wear ties, a few notches of professionalism above North American standards. The local bus system in Marbella is also free to residents.
- Motorists are awfully polite. Vehicles come to an abrupt halt when a pedestrian enters a painted crosswalk, and often if they're simply crossing a road, illegally or not.
- The universal way to greet people is with the word "Hola" which seems to be a catchall greeting, used formally and informally, and could have wider meaning like "Hey." There's no English equivalent, that's why it doesn't seem weird saying it over and over and in almost every context. You can also use, for example, "Buenos dias" (good morning) or "Buenas tardes" (good afternoon) but more universally "Hola."
- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
It's the Costa, baby, and I'm in with the in crowd
So, I’m back in Spain, the seventh time in eight years (one interrupted by the pandemic). It was a fluke how I found myself here. A friend belonged to a worldwide travel club which suggested a vacation in Andalusia, southwest Spain, the famed Costa del Sol to be exact. I’d travelled in Israel with her the previous year and having never been to Spain thought this would be a great place to check out. So, my partner and I joined Abigail for a trip to Marbella, the springboard for a multi city rail tour of España. I or we (my partner is incapacitated and can only spend limited time sway) have come here on the eastern flank of this charming if affluent city (Elviria, where Julio Iglesias is known to live) in a four star “apartment hotel”. It, (Ona Alanda), is resort-like but low key at least this time of year and the prices are amazing; about $100 Cad/night. (I just booked two weeks in Florida next Christmas at four-fifths the price of two months here.) I have a condo-like one bedroom, self-sufficient in this urban neighbourhood, dotted with small plazas with numerous restaurants, bars and boutiques. I'm also two blocks from the Mediterranean. When I’m staying here alone, I take public transit, with two local routes into Marbella Centro and one
to the, believe it or not, La Canada shopping mall, with a logo complete with a fir tree! If I want to go east to the bigger Malaga, I take a combo bus-suburban train, which also runs by the bustling airport. (Otherwise, when my partner Cathy is here we rent a car.) The weather isn't quite as warm as Florida but daytime temps are in the 60s and in direct sunlight the 70s and sunning in a bathing suit is quite comfortable. But this is a desert like climate, so temps drop in the evenings though all you really need is a sweater. The area is framed by the stunning Sierra Blanca mountain range. So, you have the best of both worlds - mountains and sea. Beside the phenomenally beautiful and historic cities of Malaga and Marbella southwestern Spain is strategically located for easy trips to British territory Gibraltar and one-hour ferries from Tarifa to Tangier, Morocco (you can see it across the strait).... My lengths of stay here have varied from a week to two months, which is the case this year. And while in some ways this area is ‘old hat’ I constantly discover new things and am surprised I hadn't found them earlier. Last Sunday, for instance, I walked seven km from Marbella along the shore (beautiful promenades filled with restos, bars and cafes) from Marbella to Puerto Banus
in the west, home to – shhhh! – shall we say the filthy rich, even reputedly underworld types and Russian oligarchs. But after a good seafood lunch I head to the Red Dog Cinemas, then wait for the bus home at the Plaza Antonio Banderas (a regional native who has the Soho theatre in Malaga) at the corner of Av de Julio Iglesias. I also discovered another elongated promenade east of Fuengirola (a small city between Marbella and Malaga). Next weekend I’ll probably do another walk from Puerto Banus west to San Pedro Alcantara.....Yes this is a rather high end tourist area (great for fashionable people-watching and Porches and Land Rovers abound) and notorious for being frequented by the Brits. But there are also many Scandinavians and Germans. But even with this tourism Spaniards dominate because it’s their mecca as well. I’m actually happy I don't hear too many foreign tongues. And I’m more than happy when a Spaniard doesn't default to English as soon as I start speaking. Though so far this trip, I’ve held my own and maintained Spanish whenever I know the words and phrases, which incrementally - very incrementally - keeps increasing.
Monday, February 3, 2025
A conversation requires two-way communication
Monday, January 27, 2025
A vacation home in Florida? You've got to be kidding
What is it about Florida vacation homes? Isn’t Florida supposed to be all about vacations, especially extended ones? My partner and I were thinking of returning for a winter Florida sojourn after several years away. We’d always loved St. Petersburg. St. Pete has the best of both worlds: a delightful, artsy, people-scaled city with lots of museums, restos, bars and cafes but close to extensive beaches, shopping, and entertainment. And if you want at a bigger city there’s Tampa across the bay with its frequent downtown festivals and Ybor City, the traditional Cuban neighbourhood with its quaint hand-rolling cigar factories, restaurants and clubs. So we went on Booking.com and checked long term vacation stays – specifically early 2026 – yes, a year away. We have now contacted four properties. Guess what? No or negative responses. The first was a typical Florida-style suburban house designed for a disabled person, as is my partner. It looked perfect and the price was right. But you couldn’t just book the property, you had to “request” to book. The owner had 24 hours to reply. In this case the dates for the “Luxury Oasis” house simply weren’t available. What?! The Booking.com calendar showed they were! The next property was further south off Tampa Bay as opposed to the ocean side. This time the owner responded but said he didn’t want to rent this far in advance, despite advertising. The third property was the “Seashell” home in suburban Pasadena, a nice three-bedroom corner house that looked accessible as a one floor bungalow with few stairs. But the reply: “Unfortunately the host has not responded, so your request has expired.” Why no response when the property is advertised? My thought was I was booking too far in advance and since there was free cancellation up to November the owner couldn’t be bothered confirming for a possibly fickle customer. So I sent a second request and offered a deposit. Again no reply. The fourth property was a condo along a beautiful canal close to beaches near Pass-a-Grille in the far southwest corner of the metro area. The property, this time listed on the VRBO website, looked modern and comfy. But we needed some questions answered regarding accessibility. Again, no response. I even wonder if owners are scared away by a disabled tenant, fearing liability. Meanwhile, a problem with most properties is their severely limited accessibility, including Airbnb, even in retirement haven Florida!
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Escape from the Caribbean? Yes
Moving through Toronto’s Pearson Intl., CATSA (the government agency that oversees security) seems to never have got the memo about mobility chair batteries. The airlines require lithium batteries (photo left) to be removed from checked wheelchairs. But we almost were not let through because a CATSA agent was highly suspicious of the black rectangular object!
Finally, beware Canadian hotel telephone reservation charges. Twice now I have unwittingly been charged for calling a hotel and making a reservation, the latest being $17.99 and not being told there’s an additional fee. That’s opposed to booking through a third-party travel site at no extra charge.
And yes, complaints have been made to all three organizations above.
- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller
Monday, December 30, 2024
Trundling to the airport by transit, and Rouge to St. Lucia
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
I'm of two minds about Air Canada's new carry-on fee
Monday, November 18, 2024
All's well that ends well, and in praise of hotels
But my penchant for Airbnb type rentals is wearing thin after a stay last month in London. Upon arriving in the city I checked my email for check in instructions. Nothing! It wasn’t until midafternoon that the owner sent me the info on the street address, lock box code and specific room in the shared building. I’d been attending the London Film Festival and it wasn’t until a movie ended just before 4 pm that I got the instructions. This "delay" (though it seemed normal for the owner) produced quite a bit of anxiety on my first day in London, wondering if I'd have to scramble to find alternative accommodation. I’m heading back to London in two weeks (third time this Autumn and the city seems to be my new default) and booked a hotel close to where I stayed in Central Finchley, in the city's northwest. Guess what? No need for a private owner’s last-minute instructions, no hard-to-find address tucked away on a nondescript street, and no uncertainty as to exactly the kind of accommodation I would find. Maybe a tried-and-true hotel (including breakfast) is the way to go at least for short-term trips.
I just booked a one-week trip to St. Lucia. It will be my first time in the Caribbean and after an ill-fated plan to go to the island fell through last January due to health issues. Yesterday I read the Wikipedia entry on St. Lucia, a member of the Brit Commonwealth, and love the place already – a democracy of almost 200,000 with languages of English and Creole French, with its unique Piton mountains, volcanic ridges – you can even enter one from the side - and dense rain forests (it’s close to South America). Did you know it’s the only sovereign state in the world named after a woman?
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Vacation rental turned out to be non-existent
It couldn’t have been better, “Modern Apartment in Akropoli Area” not only was in the perfect Athens neighborhood, just around the corner from where I stayed last year. The apartment just south of the Acropolis was not only modern but fully accessible, a rarity in a private rental. The photos were gorgeous. (The apartment's still posted - photo left.) That’s important since my partner is disabled. Moreover, the owners seemed conscientious and caring. “Dear travelers, welcome to our city and we thank you for choosing our apartment for your stay. My wife Iphigenia and I wish you a beautiful stay in our city. I am an architect and an art photographer. I have studied architecture at the University of Florence in Italy. Iphigenia is a painter of Byzantine icons. Good taste and quality are our priority in our lives.” And the reviews gave it a 9.9 “exceptional” rating. After reserving for two weeks Oct. 26 – Nov. 9 I texted the couple to finalize arrangements: would they meet us, how would we obtain the key? This was late August and there was no response. I didn’t think much of it. Then, as the arrival date came closer, I started to text and email them again. Booking.com, where I booked the apartment, gave three ways to contact – email, text and phone. There were no written responses to several written attempts. I tried phoning on a number of occasions and each time the line cut out. Concerned, I called Booking.com, who assured me they would “launch an investigation” and tried contacting the owners themselves; they got no response. The first payment date, Sept. 25, came and I shelled out the 840 euros ($1241.54) still thinking the apartment wasn’t bogus. Increasingly worried in the final week before arrival I called Booking.com and asked to cancel the reservation and obtain a full refund. An agent said this wouldn’t be possible unless we arrived at the apartment and there was no one to greet us. What?! Would we have to stand on a public sidewalk, luggage in tow, and one of us in a wheelchair, trying to phone Booking.com and reserve another (accessible) rental? A nightmare! A couple of days later I called again and this time, as their "investigation" proceeded, an agent “assured” me I’d now get full refund. Since Booking.com couldn’t contact them, something was obviously up. But apparently one of the alleged owners did say they were “unable” to rent. This, after taking my first installment! At this point, I’m still awaiting the full refund and plan to contact Booking.com again this week. What about those “exceptional” reviews? Turns out they were not on Booking.com’s site but “based on 17 guest reviews from several other travel websites.” Booking.com said they vet rentals prior to advertising so what happened here? It makes me think certain unsavory actors post bogus sites – and this was a very sophisticated one – just to extract money.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Surprisingly, lots of people don't travel
Thursday, September 26, 2024
The most nerve-wracking aspect of travel? Speaking a foreign language
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Canadian disabled facilities a joke compared to the UK
Speaking of accessible hotel rooms, Booking.com gave us a bum steer stating the Quality Hotel near Montreal’s Dorval airport would have an accessible room. We got to Reception and they had nothing on record indicating that. So we went next door to the Hilton Garden Inn. Nope, no rooms. I got on my phone and called the Sheraton which was associated with Hilton Garden. They found us the last accessible room – at the same hotel! However, there was a $15.99 booking fee. The hotel room itself was $342.37. Breakfast? “At that rate there is no breakfast,” replied the dead faced Reception clerk. By contrast for $281.88 at the Holiday Inn Kingston West we got a sprawling room and one of the best hotel breakfasts incl impeccably cooked scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages.