I unsubscribed from Expedia for the first time on July 15, then again July 21 and 29, and yet I continued to receive promotional e-mails. I tried again on August 1, 4, and 11, all to no avail. The e-mails still flooded my inbox. Finally, I wrote to customer service, and the e-mails stopped.

Could this have anything to do with the company’s falling share prices?

It would be easy for them to change the code and make the ‘unsubscribe’ option no longer work. If only 1 out of 1000 people who received the extra e-mails made a purchase it would be worth the change, not to mention someone like me who didn’t immediately contact customer service (I was curious to see how long it would take). I think this is the first time the ‘unsubscribe’ button didn’t work for me, and I’ve managed to opt out of some pretty obscure financial newsletters.

I guess Expedia didn’t want to alienate people too much, though, because the ‘unsubscribe’ action did have to be performed if customer service was contacted especially for this purpose.

On Thursday evening our flight was late, so naturally we wanted to change it. They were too busy at the lounge to help, and told us to go to Customer Service (they may have also said the flight we wanted was full, but I’m not sure). There was already a huge line at Customer Service, so we called the concierges from Calgary (the current airport) and Vancouver (the desired destination) – they didn’t answer.

We finally gave up, located some seats in the crowded lounge and settled down. We had food, drink and internet, the wait wasn’t supposed to be too bad.
However, I was soon restless and got up to stand in the queue for Customer Service. I don’t really mind waiting in line as long as I have my iPhone with me,  I can always read interesting things (at least this is what I like to think) while I wait.

Standing in line, I read some e-mails from the newsletters I am subscribed to: about how to protect yourself in a falling market, vitamins that give you more energy than coffee (I’ll have to try them one day), and somebody’s recent visit to Paris. The last was the most interesting. The author said that Paris smelled of urine, the only exception being right after it had rained. Another interesting point was a little-known side entrance to the Louvre which his landlord told him about, and which allowed him to skip the long lines at the main entrance. It puzzled me that in our internet-age more people don’t know about this, but who am I to judge? I’m sure I’ll forget about it if I ever go to Paris (actually, let’s use some positive thinking here: when I go to Paris). Also, while I was in Tokyo I went to a museum on a Monday, when it was closed. I wasted time and subway fare, something which a quick check online would have prevented.

It was after I’d read all these things that I started to grow impatient. I was bored and restless; I wanted to use my laptop for the various things I like to tell myself are useful.   
Then I remembered the golden rule about changing a flight in an airport: stay in line and call customer service at the same time. Why else do I bother reading travel blogs and forums, if I’m not going to act accordingly? 
I find that’s often a problem – we read something, we might even agree with it, but we rarely put it into practice, whether because of forgetfulness, laziness, or a thousand other reasons.

I called Customer Service expecting to be told the flight I wanted was full or already closed, but amazingly the lady on the other end told me she had to change my check-in and then that I’d gotten a seat. She didn’t even tell me to hurry up, although according to my iPhone app the plane was already supposed to have left. I even had time to ask if one of my colleagues could get on the same flight, which she obligingly managed.

We started running, tearing through the airport, and arrived at the gate breathless. As I explained to the ticket agent what had happened, another agent walked by and informed us that was impossible, because the plane was full. The first agent started typing and typing -  I am so curious what they do as it should be very simple to get a quick yes or no – and after a long while (so it seemed to me) I heard the wonderful sound of a boarding pass being printed.
“There were two no-shows in business class,” the agent said. “That’s how we were able to get you seats.” I thought loudly, that I hoped nothing bad had happened to the passengers whose seats we’d taken. I wouldn’t want my own good fortune to be based on someone else’s misery.

I boarded the plane, stowed my bag, and threw myself into the seat. I don’t know if I deserved business class, but perhaps it was the Universe rewarding my perseverance. I had a Heineken as a treat (I normally drink Coors Light if I have bier) and some Italian wine (can’t remember last time when I had both bier and wine). I’m no connoisseur, but the wine was very good. Perhaps it was the result of these two drinks, but it felt as though the plane landed almost immediately after take-off.
 
I wonder what would have happened if I’d called 10 or 15 minutes later. Perhaps I would have been told the flight was full and I would not have tried again

Now I know not to give up. Keep trying until the last moment !

I can still remember my first executive-class flight (which naturally I landed through an upgrade certificate rather than actually paying for).

There was a mosquito buzzing around my window. Somehow, I’d expect this in coach, but the executive section seems like it should be a mosquito-free zone. I definitely considered writing a strongly-worded letter to Air Canada.

Although I was afraid the bug would bite me, I figured if I let it live it would pay me back in kind and refrain from feasting on me. I did not want to draw first blood.

However, mosquitoes apparently live under rather different principles than humans, and it struck at me with a vicious and entirely unprovoked attack.

I can’t remember in what manner I annihilated it (if I did). All I know is, I didn’t draw first blood, the mosquito did.

Esmeralda is the Chilean Navy’s training ship and she also acts as a goodwill ambassador for her country. But Esmeralda has a troubled past, during Augusto Pinochet’s regime she was used as a place to jail and torture political prisoners, and now her arrival is often met with protests.
I usually enjoy visiting ships, especially when it’s free, but I had mixed feelings about this one because of its dark history.

I eventually decided to go while she was docked in Victoria, BC, I wanted to see some cruiser ships as well, and three of them were arriving in port that evening.
There were no protests on this occasion, so I was able to see the ship without any trouble. I can say that Esmeralda is a nice ship, not that I know much about sailing ships in general.

However, I saw a coat of arms inside the ship carrying the words Por la razón o la fuerza. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have paid too much attention to this – just another one of those ‘macho mottos’ – but in this case it was somehow unsettling, and forced me to think harder about where I was.

Translated into English, the motto means By reason or force, or By might or right.

In concluding this post I should say that Chile has now been a democratic country for over two decades, and its coat of arms was adopted some 200 years ago; the people who work and train on the ship have nothing to do with the events of its past. You can read more about this coat of arms on Wikipedia.

Esmeralda

The letter from Hilton said: “We’ve opened the doors to Gold status just for you.” There are doors open just for me! Under normal circumstances I would have been thrilled, especially as they said: “after enjoying four stays between July 1 and October 21, 2011 (what if I don’t enjoy them? Will I  get more points?) you’ll receive 50,000 HHonors Bonus Points, which you can redeem for two free nights in a standard room at participating hotels.”

But after checking the rate at the Hilton Hotel in the city to which I travel every week, I discovered that the price is twice as much as what I pay (actually my company pays) for my current hotel. It would be impossible to be fully reimbursed for staying at the Hilton. The only reasonable option would be to check in for just one night (the promotion is per visit and independent of length of stay), then to switch hotels and pay the difference out of my own pocket.
But I’m not sure that makes much economic sense not to mention the hassle and what would the accounting department think?
Will they frown upon it? Will I have to provide a lot of explanation?

Unfortunately, even though the doors have been opened I will not be able to step into this new world, however exciting it seems.

Now ironically, the letter from Marriott (actually the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott), which I found on the desk in my room said among other things: “We realize you have many options for lodging when you travel and we sincerely appreciate your business.” (One of my colleagues didn’t receive the letter, so I offered him mine, but he declined.)
Actually, that’s not strictly true. I do not have any options: I check in where the company tells me to. After all, he who pays the piper calls the tune. They might as well have said: “Perhaps you would prefer not to worry at all about the hotel.”

 Second post about the bicycles of Amsterdam (first post is here).

Bicycles everywhere

Miss Amsterdam

Hearse ?

We are together

We are together too

I am new and on sale

I like wine

I want to see a movie

‘Black Book’, very good movie directed by Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct) 

I am exhausted

I am abandoned

I play an instrument

I am from circus

I am handcuffed

Power Flower

National Car Rental is holding a contest entitled “Tales from the Road”.

I would have liked to participate but contestants are required to register using their Facebook accounts. This seemed fine at first, but it turns out that Tales from the Road is an app that requires access to your profile. It’s not that my profile contains anything important or sensitive, but as a matter of principle I don’t allow any apps access to my Facebook account (a site that, if the truth be told, I very rarely visit).

Initially I thought about using a fake account but I did not want to take any risks: somewhere in the fine print they may have said that contestants will be monitored by Interpol and in the event of registering using fictitious accounts they will be found, fined, and perhaps put in jail. Even worse, as a supreme punishment you could get put on a ‘no-rental’ list. And I want to be able to rent cars in the future.

So here are my ‘hors concours’ stories:

Wearing a Bathrobe in the Elevator

I was at a Radisson hotel staying on the 22nd floor. The swimming pool was on the 16th floor so I went there wearing a bathrobe, and of course my swimming trunks.

After a few laps I started to head back to my room, but I was too slow swiping the room card for the elevator and it went all the way to the ground floor. There, a group of 5 or 6 women (ages ranging from 30 to 50) got in, so it was just me in my bathrobe (and of course the swimming trunks under) amongst a very chatty group of women.
On its way up the elevator stopped before reaching my floor and the doors opened to reveal a hotel employee. He took one look at us and decided to wait, even though there was still room and some of the women were encouraging him to come in. 
As soon as the door closed one of the women exclaimed: “He was shy!” Another responded: “This guy doesn’t seem to mind and he must be naked under the bathrobe!” (she was talking about me). They all started to laugh and I protested that it wasn’t true, (rather quietly I admit) not that it mattered as no one seemed to care for my response anyway. Finally the elevator stopped at my floor and as I stepped out one of them said: “Let’s follow him to see what room he’s going to!” More laughter ensued but it was only their voices that followed me out of the elevator.

First Time Driving an Automatic Car

I came to Canada and wanted to rent a car. I am from Europe and I have only driven manual cars, so I asked for one. They almost laughed at me and informed me that they only had automatic cars.

I was forced to rent an automatic car and somehow I managed to drive it off the parking lot and to the hotel.

There, I went to my room and returned with my luggage, placing it in the trunk. I wanted to drive away and I tried to move the gear from “P” to “D.” It didn’t work. I tried and tried but to no avail. Finally, I asked someone for help and he told me to press the brake. I did not know about this. When I had started the car at the rental station I must have pressed the brake accidentally without realizing it was a necessary action for switching the gear from “P” to “D.”

This story brings to mind a later incident with an automatic rental car. I had rented a Honda Fit Sport and the attendant had informed me that I could manually change the gears using the gear shift paddles located on the steering wheel. I gave him a puzzled look and asked: “Isn’t it automatic? What do you mean change the gears?” He told me to “forget about it” and I did. Although, I was very careful not to touch the paddles while I drove! Since my curiosity was aroused I looked it up later and found out what it was all about: the Honda Fit Sport gave the driver the option of changing gears manually; it was the “Sport” model.

I once had a layover in Amsterdam of about 9 hours.

Amsterdam is a fantastic city so I took full advantage of this time. I visited the Rijskmuseum (the famous painting ‘The Night Watch’ by Rembrandt is here), the Van Gogh Museum, and one other museum whose name I have forgotten.

I remember that I walked, and walked, and walked and I was fascinated by the bicycles, some of which seemed to have a story to tell.

These are the bicycles of Amsterdam and their (very) short stories.

Pink Panther

I am a painter

Most valuable bicycle (2 chains)

Threesome

I have had enough

I am small but maybe I will be lucky

Snow White

The maverick (a mountain bike, very unsual for Amsterdam)

I deliver pizza

The Patriot

One Sunday night I arrived at my hotel very late. I checked in, went to my room and entered the bathroom.
And what did I see on the light switch?

Was it lipstick, ketchup, or blood?

It was pretty gross, especially the thought of the latter, and mind you it was a  4 star hotel.

Did I complain? No, what good would that have done? Perhaps the housekeeper had a bad day, or had lots of rooms to clean and was in a rush to get home, after all it was Sunday. Also they might have been reprimanded, and paranoid as I am, I was worried that they would take revenge (they could do anything in my room; of course I imagined the worst).

A few weeks later, some colleagues and I were eating in the restaurant of that same 4-star hotel, and we were brought a bread basket with one of the rolls bitten.

I hoped it was bitten by a human, at least, and not a rat. Again, we didn’t say anything. They might have simply brought the same basket back without the offending roll, and I was not going to ‘mark’ some of the rolls just to see if they were the same ones (it goes without saying that none of us ate bread).

I also have a few photos with hair on the towel, soap, etc., but this is so commonplace I won’t bother posting them.

I seem to attract this kind of thing, but I think it’s just because I travel more often due to my work. I encounter a lot more of these situations than my sister, for example, who only travels for vacations, and told me she’d never come across this type of thing.