The Passengers’ Airplane Behavior Bill of Rights

A prefectly hysterical post on lonelyplanet.com today.

The Passengers’ Airplane Behavior Bill of Rights

Article I: The right to remove shoes
Passengers shall be allowed to remove shoes from their feet, but only if the aforementioned feet don’t stink or present health risks to other passengers. The right of the passenger to go to the lavatory without shoes shall not be infringed, as it is really your own business should you want to stand in the urine of others.

Article II: Freedom from unreasonable aromatic assault
No passenger shall, in the time of flight, be subjected to unreasonable aromas, be it from powerful perfume, foods redolent of onion, or other fragrance wholly unnecessary whilst on an airplane.

Article III: The right to reasonable light
All passengers shall be allowed the right to use their own overhead light to read when the cabin lights are turned off, as that is its intended use. No passenger shall be unwillingly bothered by the thoughtless opening of window shades during this period; window seat passengers are not delegated the power to blind their fellow passengers.

Article IV: The article of reclension
A well-justified act of reclining one’s seat shall not be prohibited at all times, apart from meal time and other times specified by the flight crew. All instances of reclension shall be preceded by a rearward glance so as not to unwittingly crush the patellas or portable electronic devices of the affected passenger.

Article V: Freedom of no speech
There shall be no requirement for other passengers to listen to you drone on about your child, cat or other subject not directly germane to an immediate inflight emergency situation. The right of other passengers to give you the ‘book-off’ shall not be infringed, nor shall you assist with the answer to 14-across if unprompted.

Article VI: The right to bear armrestsIn all cases where an armrest is shared by two adjacent passengers, both parties must respect the right of the other to keep the armrest down. Passengers relegated to a middle seat shall be afforded special status, and aisle and window passengers shall endeavour to accommodate.

Article VII: Conditions of passenger quartersPassengers shall not be subject to the rubbish of others crammed thoughtlessly into seat-back pockets, or tossed onto the floor in a cavalier fashion. Chewing gum shall not be pressed to any surface affixed to an aircraft.

Article VIII: The right to heed the call of natureA well-organised attempt to use the lavatory, being necessary for inflight calm and gastrointestinal health, shall not be impeded by aisle passengers sleeping or otherwise. The rights of others waiting to use a lavatory shall supersede the frankly ill-advised wishes of current lavatory users to waste time poking around said lavatory.

Article IX: Provisions concerning use of electronic devices
The assurance of safety shall not be infringed by the desires of others to make one last phone call, update their social network status to brag about their impending holiday, or to plant cauliflower in their virtual farm. WhilstMythBusters and others have debunked most potential dangers of using common electronic devices on planes, safety and calm shall take precedence.

Article X: Cruel and unnecessary aisle cloggingNo passenger shall, in the time of disembarking, hastily grab their bag and congest the exit route before actual movement is possible. Likewise, when it comes time to exit, no passenger shall unaccountably act surprised that it is their turn to leave.

Article XI: Freedom from feral children
The right of passengers not to be kicked in the back, have their hair pulled, be presented with unasked-for mucous-moistened objects, or be otherwise assaulted by feral children shall not be infringed. Crying babies cannot be held accountable for their actions, and are therefore exempt.

Article XII: The right of reasonable alcohol consumptionNo person, apart from those who are drunk and obnoxious or minors, shall be prohibited from imbibing an alcoholic beverage should they feel that it is a good idea, despite all indications to the contrary.

Article XIII: The right to private mediaReading over others’ shoulders shall not be inflicted, unless achieved in a particularly stealthy fashion causing no annoyance to the book holder. The same shall be true for films and other non-private media.

In the News

Wanted to share a few fantastic articles that I read this morning.

Happy Tuesday :)

Thomson Airways Becomes First Airline to Fly UK Customers on Sustainable Biofuel: http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-airways-becomes-first-airline-to-fly-uk-customers-on-sustainable-biofuel

Mexican tourism officials in 'total shock' at Princess move: http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/06/puerto-vallarta-mexico-princess-cruise-travel-vacation-safety/175366/1

Francis Ford Coppola Resorts Reinforce Commitment to Sustainable Travel: http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/francis-ford-coppola-resorts-reinforce-commitment-to-sustainable-travel

National Geographic Wildlife Explorers Alarmed by Declining Lion Population: http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-geographic-wildlife-explorers-alarmed-by-declining-lion-population-photo

You Can Call Me at the Beach

Well, it seems that my plans to take it easy this year may be changing. Life has tossed me a few ups and downs over the last month and it is now time to rethink and take sock of some plans

I am thinking now that working remote from the stunning shores of Costa Rica for a while may be just what the Dr ordered.

I have a place to stay
I have internet and other required connections
I have aeroplan points to get me there
I woud be paid to be in paradise

Is there really anymore to consider ...

$40 a Day

Interesting article from bootsnall.com on how to traverse the globe on just $40 a day.

I stuck to a budget of $30 a day during my 4 months in Africa and South East Asia and it was dead easy. I cant imagine how much more I could have gotten for that extra $10. It would have been pure luxury!

How to Travel Around the World for $40 Per Day | BootsnAll Travel Articles

International Voluntourism Guidelines Research Launched

Press release that popped into my email this morning. Very interesting stuff:

Industry Leaders Collaborate to Create Global Initiative

 to Transform Good Intentions into Best Practice

WASHINGTON, DC and TORONTO, April 5, 2011 - The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and Planeterra, a leading non-profit foundation dedicated to sustainable community development and environmental conservation through travel, are collaborating to develop a set of criteria that will help international voluntourism providers plan and manage their programs in a responsible and sustainable manner.


An increasing number of travel companies are adding volunteer opportunities to their tour itineraries worldwide, and the trend, which is now commonly known as voluntourism, is growing rapidly. The 2008 Condé Nast Traveler/MSNBC poll, for example, stated that the number of regular volunteer vacationers has doubled since 2002, and the number of those who have volunteered at least once has tripled. According to the 2009 Green Traveler Study by CMIGreen, 59.1% of those surveyed said they were interested in volunteering during a future trip.


With this growth, a myriad of issues and challenges has emerged, including: project development concerns, impacts on host communities, travelers' skills and experiences, and the potentials for positive change. There is an increasing need for effective tools that help providers and travelers make smart decisions. The goal of the TIES-Planeterra effort is to address these challenges and to outline parameters that will guide both project leaders and travelers alike.


"Travelers are searching for new authentic experiences worldwide, like voluntours, that put them face to face with some of our most important global challenges," says Megan Epler Wood, Executive Director of Planeterra. "There are now more opportunities for travelers with skills, in areas like engineering and health care, to assist local communities and help develop beneficial projects, like assisting with clinics and developing clean water systems for villages that lack adequate services," says Epler Wood.


To ensure that this project incorporates a diverse range of industry knowledge and experiences, TIES and Planeterra are working with an International Expert Committee representing a variety of industry sectors and regions:

• Bodhi Garrett, Co-Director, Andaman Discoveries, Thailand
• Valeria Gracia, Asociación Civil Voluntario Global, Argentina
• Sallie Grayson, Programme Director, People and Places, U.K.
• Nancy McGehee, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Virginia Tech University, U.S.A.
• Paul and Thandi Miedema, Founders, Calabash Tours, South Africa
• Kristin Lamoureux, Ph.D., Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies, The George Washington University School of Business, U.S.A.
• Lelei LeLaulu, President, Community Benefit Development and Co-chairman, Innovation for Sustainable Development Centre, U.S.A.
• Daniela Ruby Papi, Founder, PEPY Tours, Cambodia
• Gopinath Parayil, Founder and Chief Executive, The Blue Yonder, India
• Marnie Heim-Stafford and Jeremy Stafford, Owners, Voluntours, South Africa
• Andy Woods-Ballard, Director of Operations, Global Vision International, U.K.
• Dr. Stephen Wearing, Associate Professor, University of Technology, Australia

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with industry leaders and voluntourism experts from around the world,” says Dr. Kelly Bricker, Chair, TIES Board of Directors. "We believe that there are a number of opportunities to apply lessons learned from the ecotourism community’s experiences in the past couple of decades to effectively support voluntourism in order to maximize positive impacts of the power of travel."


"Our first priority is to develop, through an interdisciplinary approach, sound guidelines for voluntourism activities that will serve as a practical tool for voluntourism providers," says Megan Epler Wood of Planeterra. "This tool will both complement existing knowledge and make an important contribution to ongoing efforts to develop and grow voluntourism in a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable manner."


Planeterra was founded in 2003 by Gap Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world, and is a leading international organization promoting voluntourism activities, which give back to destinations and contribute to the sustainable development of communities.


"It’s very rewarding to see Planeterra and TIES leading this work to establish guidelines that will ensure the long-term health and well-being of communities and destinations around the world," says Gap Adventures Marketing Director, Richard Edwards. "We believe the guidelines will serve as an important tool for voluntourism providers – from large global companies like Gap Adventures to small-scale local community enterprises."


The research project will incorporate a global survey program to be undertaken in May 2011 and stakeholder meeting, which will be held Sept. 19-21 during the upcoming Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference organized by TIES in Hilton Head Island, SC. TIES will produce the final draft for expert committee review and publication in early 2012.


For more information on the TIES-Planeterra Voluntourism Guidelines project, see updates on: www.ecotourism.org/voluntourism.