There I am at the Mutianyu section of The Great Wall, October 30, 2007.
Photo: Kathryn Maier

by Wendy Perrin

Sorry I couldn't post yesterday as promised: I was having tech snafus.  Now that I've got WiFi again, I can make good on my promise of the three secrets that every smart traveler to Beijing should know:

(1) The Beijing Children's Palace
This isn't in the guidebooks. It's a school where some of Beijing's most gifted children, ages 4 through 18, take extracurricular classes in art, music, and sports.  You need an appointment to get inside and watch the kids in action. See my last post for photos of the Palace's buildings, which were built as part of the Forbidden City.  Here's what was happening when I visited this past Sunday:

Kids were learning calligraphy  . . .

. . . girls practiced gymnastics while boys learned martial arts . . .

. . .and these kids were learning how to play the two-stringed Chinese violin.

And where do you think this was? Learn secret #2 after the jump.

Beijing's air seems much less polluted now than it did a few years ago. Get a load of how blue the sky was yesterday as I strolled through the Children's Palace, Oct. 28, 2007.

by Wendy Perrin

Boy, has Beijing changed in the nine years since I was last here. Not only are the air and streets much cleaner -- thanks to the city's effort to shape up in time for the 2008 Olympics -- but the city is also much more user-friendly for travelers. There is English signage everywhere, including in the subway. Chinese and foreigners now use the same ticket lines . . . and pay the same ticket prices. Those con-artist rickshaw drivers have been banished from the back gate of the Forbidden City. And if you want to bike -- a great way to sightsee -- it's much less harrowing than before: The number of bikers has dropped by at least half, there are safety fences preventing cars from veering into bike lanes, and black exhaust fumes aren't belched into your nasal passages all day (since few trucks are allowed into the city center and cars are burning natural gas instead of oil).

Autumn has hit the courtyards of the Beijing Children's Palace, Oct 28, 2007.

The only thing that's not user-friendly about Beijing's Olympics prep? The number of great places that are closed for renovation, including the Lao She Teahouse, the Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology, and the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant at Qianmen (the oldest branch of the city's best Peking Duck joint). Oh well. Maybe next time.

Up tomorrow: Three secrets every smart traveler to Beijing should know.

When my Cathay Pacific flight from JFK to Hong Kong stopped in Vancouver
to refuel, we had to remain onboard while a cleaning crew prepped the
plane for the continuing leg to Hong Kong. 2:00 a.m. Vancouver time,
October 26, 2007

by Wendy Perrin

I should have done what Cranky did. The Cranky Flier is headed to Peru and has asked his blog readers to vote on which airline he should fly -- specifically, which will provide the best onboard experience in coach. I should have asked you guys to vote on which airline to fly to China in coach!  Instead I left it up to my travel agent.

My final destination?  Beijing. The travel agent put me on a 20-hour Cathay Pacific flight from JFK to Hong Kong via Vancouver, connecting to a flight from Hong Kong to Beijing -- a 26-hour trip in total.  (Why not fly one of Cathay's New York-Hong Kong nonstops?  Because Conde Nast Traveler is very budget-conscious in its travel spending, and I saved the company quite a sum by flying via Vancouver.)

Cathay's flight #889 sits on the ground in Vancouver for a full hour -- from 1:40 to 2:40 a.m. local time -- to refuel, let a few passengers off, and take on a few more.  If your destination is Hong Kong, though, you can't disembark. You can't sleep either -- not if you're in coach -- as there's way too much commotion, what with all the workers bringing new food supplies on board and cleaning the plane. (The folks in business class slept fine during the stop, as their cabin was kept dark and quiet.)

The view from my seat (45C) during the one-hour Vancouver stop, while
workers brought new blankets and pillows on board and cleaned the
bathrooms.

Here are three important things I learned about the seats on Cathay's Boeing 747-400s:

What's in the portable pharmacy I'm taking on a 17-day trip to China?

by Wendy Perrin

Tonight I fly to China, and I thought you might get a kick out of seeing what I've stuffed into my bags. In addition to clothing, laptop, guidebooks (all ungodly heavy), and energy bars, I'm carrying three quart-sized Ziploc bags -- one for my tech gear and the other two for the drugstore I'm carrying.

As usual I got the vaccinations and prescription medications necessary for my itinerary -- which includes some remote and malarial locales -- from Dr. Bradley A. Connor, medical director of Travel Health Services in New York and a past president of the International Society of Travel Medicine. Ever since he came to the rescue when I was suffering from some bizarre rash picked up in Zimbabwe, Dr. Connor has been my hero.  I met him before my first trip to China nine years ago, and he said the same thing then that he says now:  When it comes to China, you need to be your own doctor.  He recommends taking along a couple of antibiotics and a selection of medicines and palliatives that could come in handy, whatever might ail you.

The last time I was in China I got strep throat, so I figure if I get sick this time it will most likely be  from a respiratory infection.  All those industrial particulates in the air and all that spitting in the streets!  I'm not worried about food poisoning, since last time I never once got sick to my stomach. I discovered, in fact, that it's pretty easy to eat safely and healthfully in China: The food typically arrives piping hot; there are always lots of safe rice, noodle, and steamed vegetable dishes to choose from; and there's bottled water everywhere. Thus my Ziploc bags are stocked with more cold medications than stomach ones. 

For a list of what's in my portable drugstore, read on.

TheGlobalTraveller, a frequent commenter here on The Perrin Post, has spent the past 2 1/2 weeks flying this itinerary for no purpose other than to boost his frequent-flier account balances.

by Wendy Perrin

Yesterday I had one of the most fascinating lunch conversations of my life. It was with someone I'd never met or even spoken to before, but whom I've come to know from his insightful comments here on The Perrin Post and from his Flyertalk blog The Gate, which he co-writes under the name Kiwi Flyer and which is required reading for any self-respecting mileage junkie.

When TheGlobalTraveller emailed me saying he'd be in New York on October 23, I insisted we meet up. (You may recall I promised him lunch back when he guessed my mystery location in a teaser for the last Where's Wendy? contest.)

What I didn't know until lunch yesterday was that his New York trip was only 20 hours long. The night he spent in New York was, in fact, only his THIRD night in a hotel since leaving his home in New Zealand on October 6!  He has spent every other night on a plane.  He's in the middle of a four-week -- yes, FOUR-WEEK! -- mileage run.

Toward the end of each year, frequent-flier addicts the world over fly "mileage runs" -- airline itineraries flown for no purpose other than to earn mileage. Usually a mileage runner's goal is to maintain elite frequent-flier status or achieve an even higher status level.  At this moment TheGlobalTraveller is on the 45TH FLIGHT of his mileage run (all of them in first or business class). He's hit 12 countries and 26 airports so far. If you don't believe me, check out his breathtaking Trip Report on FlyerTalk. (The Trip Report, entitled "It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure & Pain," is written under his FlyerTalk moniker, Kiwi Flyer).

What's most amazing is the size of his luggage, which he wheeled into my office.  He's doing his entire four-week trip with only one 20-inch carry-on wheelie.  He's not even carrying a laptop.  He's blogging, emailing, and adding to his FlyerTalk Trip Report from computers in airline first-class club lounges. He's taking his showers there too.

This photo, entitled "Sarah and the Sea Lion," captures a 6-year-old befriending a sea lion pup in the Galapagos Islands. It was shot by reader DGlass and submitted to our Dream Trip contest.

by Wendy Perrin

Attention, readers with children: Got any advice for DChirichella, who wrote in wondering where to take her three kids on vacation?  The catch: Her husband can't go, so she must wrangle the kids solo, yet doesn't want to drop them off in children's programs. Here's her question:

"My husband cannot get away for a vacation with me and our three children -- ages 9, 7, and 5 -- during February break, so I am planning on taking them somewhere on my own.  I need something fun like a ski trip, only more doable for a single parent.  We generally like to be active on vacation - we're not just "sit on the beach or by a pool" types - although there's definitely room for some of that.  I'm not a fan of dropping my kids off at a kid's club while I go off on my own; however, I am hoping to go somewhere where there are activities that we can do together or that they can participate in while I watch so that I am not their only form of entertainment (never fun).  Most of all, it needs to be something I can handle successfuly solo without turning into psycho mom - which would kind of negate the whole idea.  Any suggestions on places or travel agents I should consider would be greatly appreciated."

Boy can I ever relate to taking kids on the road solo and trying to avoid "psycho mom" syndrome!  I've got only two children to contend with -- ages 5 and 3 -- but, since I'm usually working at the same time, my laptop is like a third child.

Sounds to me like you need an activity-based group trip.  I'm thinking a Galapagos Islands cruise (see Lindblad Expeditions' family-friendly trips), a river rafting trip (a "family adventure" with O.A.R.S. would be perfect, if only one were offered in February), or perhaps -- if your 5-year-old bikes well enough -- a family multi-sport trip with Backroads (to a good February locale such as Belize or Costa Rica). Why?  Read on.

"Emerald River and Orange Cliffs," submitted by one of our Dream Trip Contest finalists, captures the awesome scene you'll find at Horseshoe Bend, Arizona.
Photo: Guy Bryant

by Wendy Perrin

Last week I promised more of the travel tips submitted by the 20 finalists in Conde Nast Traveler's Dream Trip Contest.  Here's the last batch of pointers that I found most useful and/or intriguing.  For my favorite tips of all, though, check out those shared by contest winner Gene Pembroke.

From Guy Bryant of Valdosta, GA:

*Pack easy-to-wash, fast-drying clothing. Avoid checking luggage (thus speeding your transit and enabling you to make tight connections or to fly standby) by traveling with only three sets of clothing. TravelSmith's can be washed in a sink or a shower and dries overnight.

From Claude Carrier of Toronto, Ontario:

*Spend time connecting with your surroundings on your own. If you are traveling with loved ones, friends, or a group, schedule time for yourself. My preference is for walks at sunup; while my companions are still in bed, I stroll the streets of a city that is just waking up or find a peaceful spot to watch the sun rise and begin to warm the landscape. It's often when I take my best photographs.

From Janet Mann of Salt Lake City, UT:

*Wander through a food market to get the local flavor. Try an unusual bottled drink, a native fruit you can peel, or an enticing baked cookie or pastry. Buy unfamiliar spices to sample in dishes back home.

*No matter where you're traveling, bring along a set of lightweight, collapsible trekking poles. Whether negotiating penguin guano in Antarctica's snowfields or impossibly steep temple steps in Cambodia, these can keep you stable and make the difference between a safe journey and an emergency medical evacuation.

More tips after the jump.

"The Young Monk and the Buddha" captures the tranquility of an eight-year-old novice monk in Myanmar (photographed long before the current violence).
Photo: Alan Tobey

by Wendy Perrin

Remember I promised you more of those nifty travel tips submitted by the 20 well-traveled finalists in our Dream Trip Contest?  Let me know whether you like these as much as I do.

From Paul F. Krynicki, Kirkland, WA:

* In destinations that use a different alphabet, ask your concierge to write the names and addresses of the sights and restaurants you want to visit in a notebook.
Write one item per page, accompanied by the English translation. Show the page to a cabbie and you're on your way. For the return trip, don't forget to have your hotel's name and address written in your notebook.

* If you're an inveterate shopper, lightly pack a big suitcase or a duffel.
Fill the extra space with bubble wrap (to protect the items you will buy) and an extra duffel (to bring them home). [For what to do when the extra duffel is full, see the next tip.]

* Before heading abroad, get the local addresses for FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
These companies will ship your stuff home so that you can reload your duffel or suitcase.

From Alan Tobey, Berkeley, CA:

* Don't dine in your hotel unless you chose it for its restaurant.
Instead, eat out -- even for breakfast. You'll enjoy authentic food, pay less, and feel like you're living in the country you're visiting rather than just passing through.

* Where it's a cultural tradition, learn to enjoy the pleasures of bargaining.
Bargain only if you have a serious interest in the item. The discussion should be about fairly transferring an object that both you and the seller care about -- not about who "wins." Be the first to offer a price, always take plenty of time, and don't sweat the last few dollars.

* Turn your travel schedule upside down.
Most travelers reach their destinations at midday when temperatures are highest, the light is at its worst for photography, and the locals are under cover. Better to explore early and late in the day, reserving the midday hours for traveling between cities or enjoying a leisurely lunch in the shade.

More tips after the jump.

The Dream Trip Contest runner-up who submitted this photo, entitled "Icelandic Beauty," shared great travel tips too.
Photo: Angela Drury

by Wendy Perrin

You already know that Brook and I have been busy planning the $20,000 blow-out trip for the lucky winner of Conde Nast Traveler's 2007 Dream Trip Contest.  And you know that winner Gene Pembroke of Philly submitted terrific travel tips. What you may not know, however, is that the 19 other finalists also shared gems of advice (we asked them each for three travel tips as part of their contest entry). It would be a crime not to share these, so voila:

Angela Drury, San Francisco, CA.:

* Pack a pair of old, loved, well-worn walking shoes.
Your feet will be comfortable and blister-free, and you won't care if the shoes get muddy or soaked in a downpour. In a packing pinch, you can even leave them behind when you head home, making space for new purchases.

* Visit a local cemetery.
It's an unexpected place to learn about the culture and history of a town and its people. And there's no charge.

Paul Timpa, New York, NY:

 * Bring the cable that connects your digital camera to a TV.
Use it at night to check the day's photos on your hotel-room television. If you see that your pictures are blurry or otherwise flawed -- something you often can't make out on the camera's small LCD -- you can go back and reshoot.

* Create and save a packing list on your computer.
Use it to pack for your trip, and when you get back, add any items that you forgot and needed to acquire while you were away. After a few trips, you will have a comprehensive packing list and will never forget anything.

More tips after the jump.

 Photo: Wikimedia

by Sara Tucker

Leafers touring Vermont highways this fall will see a lot of signs proclaiming "Moose Crossing." They'll be lucky to see a moose. Any moose with any sense is hiding deep in the woods, especially since last week, when a three year old bull wandered into somebody's backyard in Burlington and was shot dead by animal control.

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has been taking heat for the killing ever since, and the Burlington Free Press has been running a poll on its Web site with the question "Did the authorities make the right decision?" (The last time I checked 5,693 votes had been cast, 58 percent of them for the moose.) City-data.com, a Burlington based Web site, has also been collecting opinions on the controversy.

Before you weigh in, you might want to check out a video that depicts the moose's final hours (minus the blood and gore). I'm no expert and I wasn't there, but it's hard to imagine such a docile-looking creature going on a rampage, which is what wildlife officials feared. Their pre-emptive strike consisted of four blasts from a shotgun. That's right, a shotgun. Four blasts.

As a former safari guide, I've been around a lot of dangerous game. None of the guides I knew ever had to shoot an animal, though many routinely took clients into the bush on foot. When people get in trouble with wild animals, it's usually because of inexperience and fear. On the part of the humans, I mean.

I say we all (game officials included) need to become a whole lot smarter about the way we relate to wild creatures, especially since we tout them so often as part of our natural heritage.

What do you think?

The maples are late this year, but the sumac is right on time.
Photo: Sara Tucker

by Sara Tucker

It's leaf season in Vermont, and the foliage hotline is ringing. Call 1-800-VERMONT, press "1," and you may be told, as I was on Monday, that the Northeast Kingdom is one of your best bets this week for seeing "near peak" color. The Kingdom is my favorite corner of the state (I'm a native, so my vote counts extra), and so remote that most visitors never see it. From now through Sunday, seven towns are hosting the region's annual fall foliage spectacular--this is your big chance to attend a winery tour in Plainfield, a chicken-pie supper in Groton, or a band concert in St. Johnsbury. Just don't get all hung up on whether St. J's leaves are peaking or not.

The truth: The leaves are late this year, and many parts of the state are still green. Yankee Foliage blogger Jeff Folger drove 727 miles this past weekend to check out what was happening in the Kingdom and found that "good color was limited to the very upper northern part of the NEK." As an expert leafer, however, Jeff didn't let a little off-peak color get him down, and you shouldn't either.

At the Stowe Visitor's Center they hear the "When's peak?" question so often they've started a "Guess the Peak" contest. The correct answer is, as always, a matter of opinion--the opinion of the folks at the Stowe Area Association, that is. (To enter, you've got to walk into the center and fill out an entry form in person. Winner gets a free five-night stay at a resort in Stowe.) The contest ends October 22.

Former governor Deane Davis used to say that Vermont's foliage peaks on October 4. That's tongue-in-cheek for "Ask a silly question, get a silly answer." My advice: Don't worry about it. Peak is more a state of mind than an actual phenomenon. Read on to find out everything you need to know for a peak leafing experience:

Sara Tucker has lived in Louisville, Santa Fe,
Los Angeles, and Tanzania, but home has
always been Vermont.

by Wendy Perrin

Where does Conde Nast Traveler find its staff? Sometimes under a baobab tree. Sara Tucker had been leading walking safaris in Tanzania when she came to the magazine five years ago as a copy editor. "It's not that different from animal tracking," she says of the work in the copy department, "only you're looking for dangling participles instead of leopards' tails.

"To be honest, as a safari guide, I was totally dependent on my partner, Patrick Texier, a Frenchman who had spent more than 30 years in Africa by the time we met. I grew up in Vermont, and didn't see an elephant in the wild until I was in my forties. Then I went to the Serengeti on a writing assignment and Patrick was my guide. By the time I left, I was totally in love. I couldn't wait to see Africa again. Little by little I began to notice Patrick too."

One of Sara's favorite places in Tanzania is the Yaida Valley. "It's way, way off the beaten path. We were taking clients there to visit the Hadzabe, a small tribe of hunter-gatherers. They're fascinating people, and surprisingly friendly, when you consider that the last of their ancestral land is being taken over by foreigners. It's terrible to witness the plight of hunter-gatherers and other nomadic people up close. When you see how much more respectful of nature they are than the rest of us, and how egalitarian their societies are, you can't help but feel their disappearance from the planet will be a tragic loss for us all."

Sara and Patrick (they've now been married eight years) still spend as much time in the outdoors as they can. Sara says she's a fan of slow travel--walking, bicycling, snow shoeing--and of flying over country roads on the back of her husband's Harley. She will report for the Perrin Post on travel news in northern New England and other favorite spots.

Sara and Patrick Texier on the Ridge Road in Randolph Center, Vermont.
Photo: Charles Cooley

A hotel concierge can help you find a local English-speaking guide.
Photo: Stephanie Pfriender Stylander, Conde Nast Traveler

By Wendy Perrin

It was nice to see Saturday's New York Times highlight four of the top airline travel tips that I shared in Conde Nast Traveler's 20th Anniversary issue (as well as here on The Perrin Post a coupla weeks ago: click for Airline Tips, Part 1 and Part 2).  Now, here are some key post-flight tips I compiled for the same issue.

If you've landed in a challenging country and find you need the best human travel assistance available, here are steps to take:

*Use the concierge at a top hotel even if you're not staying there.
Most concierges benefit from the extra business and can arrange for cars and drivers, make priceless sightseeing suggestions, and procure hard-to-get tickets. Be up front about the fact that you're not a guest, and tip if the concierge is not earning a commission.

*Consider hiring an English-speaking guide on the spot.
Say you're at a byzantine souk or ancient ruin, and a guide whose caliber you don't know offers his services. If he quotes $10 an hour, propose $5 for half an hour. If you're disappointed, you can get rid of him with no hurt feelings. If you're pleased, ask him to spend more time with you.

Of course, you can also guarantee yourself 24/7 human assistance and arrange for guides by booking your trip through a tour firm that plans out everything in advance and creates a customized itinerary for you.  Here's some advice for when you do decide to use such a travel planner: