Grand Tourist 3: A Lifetime of Travel

By Ellen Boer and Peter Boer

This book is about how one can, in a lifetime, experience the world as directly as possible. It is a practical matter; travel takes time and money. The earth is a big place, and one must be selective about what one sees and how one travels. For us travel has been a lifetime progression, starting with student budgets, then building on corporate travel, and progressing to less accessible locales. As we became seniors, we were more limited in physical adventure, but more able to experience upscale lodgings and to engage local experts. Each of these stages afforded its own viewpoint and enriched the experience of the accessible world. Beyond having enjoyed the great journey ourselves, we have shared it both with children and grandchildren.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664111851

Ellen Boer

F. Peter Boer has written eight books, is an authority on research and development finance, and the author of nearly one hundred articles in the scientific and business literatures. His books have been translated into five foreign languages. He holds a PhD from Harvard University, is a former professor at Yale University, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Through board directorships, he remains an active leader in global business. Ellen Boer is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and an attorney specializing in educational law. She is a top contributor to TripAdvisor, with a broad following of serious travelers.

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Copyright © 2023 by Ellen and Peter Boer. 836291

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Library of Congress Control Number:       2021921407

Rev. date: 11/02/2021

PREFACE

T HIS BOOK IS the second update of Grand Tourist , first published in 2013, and updated as Grand Tourist 2 in in 2017. We have since visited some forty additional countries, bringing our lifetime total to about 180 (as summarized in the Appendix). Unfortunately, after only one trip in 2020, the pandemic forced a hiatus and a host of canceled reservations. In 2021, we added some five domestic trips, but international travel remains challenging as we write this preface. As an exercise, Peter wrote a first draft of a book, Virtual Tourist , of the many countries we haven’t yet visited, often because conditions are still dangerous. Some of the more interesting are Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Nepal. And, of course, we hope to return to our favorite settings again, on the lookout for new experiences and insights.

This book is about how one can, in a lifetime, experience the world as directly as possible. It is a practical matter; travel takes time and money. The earth is a big place, and one must be selective about what one sees and how one travels. For us travel has been a lifetime progression, starting with student budgets, later building on corporate travel, and progressing to less accessible locales. As we became seniors, we were more limited in physical adventure, but more able to experience upscale lodgings and to engage local experts. Each of these stages affords its own viewpoint and enriches the experience. Beyond having enjoyed the great journey ourselves, we have shared it both with children and grandchildren, who have now seen more than their share of the varied civilizations and locales that make this a fascinating world. While the book is unapologetically autobiographical, we have organized it to be useful to a general audience.

The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th Century some South American, United States and other overseas youth joined in.¹ Broadly speaking it was an endeavor designed to expose the traveler to enlightenment, adventure, art, and culture.

In the 21st Century, the concept of the Grand Tour is at the same time old-fashioned and eternal. The pursuit of this goal is available to millions, while the original scope of the goal is now far too narrow. In the 18th Century it was predictable that young scions of noble houses would soon be influential persons in their governments or in commerce. The logic was impeccable – learn what could be learned before taking on the responsibilities of big jobs. Today, there is much less predictability; young persons from diverse backgrounds regularly rise to become powerful CEO’s, investors, and politicians. The pool of potential leaders is much larger, but the logic that they should be exposed to the world before having to deal with it is even stronger.

The scope of the subject matter is vastly more challenging. Today, it is laughable that knowledge of classical antiquity, the Renaissance, French culture, and the Christian religion, constitutes an adequate education. World power is shaped by a dozen major cultures and by many minor ones. There are four major religions with a billion adherents, and all the world’s continents are known and accessible. In addition to geographic and cultural breadth, there are the additional dimensions of technology and history. Science and technology have advanced vastly since its origins in the 17th Century. Places like the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the copper mines in Falun, Sweden, and the great plutonium factory at Hanford, Washington are very revealing. Battlefields illuminate history and really give an insight into the issues rival armies faced in the moment of decision. Gettysburg, Thermopylae, the Falaise Gap, the Normandy Beaches, and Edson’s Ridge on Guadalcanal all illustrate the importance of terrain and leadership in determining the outcome.

The workings of the world can no longer be grasped in a tour of a few months –that is the work of a lifetime. Indeed, the first global tourist was probably Ibn Battuta (1304 – 1368), an Islamic jurist, who traveled some 72,000 miles from his home in Morocco as far as China and Southeast Asia and recorded the tale. By comparison, with the advantage of jet planes we have traveled perhaps five million miles, and visited many of the same sights in the Islamic world, plus entire continents ibn Battuta did not know existed. Much can be learned from professors, reading, and the media. However, our experience is that all of these sources are highly selective and some are dangerously biased. There is nothing like seeing it for yourself and talking to real people on the scene. For us, expanding the scope of our children’s and grandchildren’s knowledge to a global context has been an educational imperative.

An additional aspect of the old Grand Tour was the collection of art, especially paintings. The works were typically crated and shipped home to decorate the walls of stately homes. Even today, there are many art shops and galleries in Paris and Rome that cater to travelers with this objective. On a lower level are souvenir-type items, some of them intrinsically beautiful and authentic, more of them tacky. The best objects are almost irresistible, but as our bookshelves filled up, we have become much more selective. However, the modern Grand Tour allows one to identify the elements of style. One option is to be eclectic, decorating one room in the manner of Renaissance Italy, another in French Rococo, and yet another with a Japanese theme – indeed royal palaces often took this approach.

There is an alternative to hauling back packages of antiques, art works, and furniture. It is to develop taste, which can be a guide to decorating and collecting. The outcome will be to choose for oneself a style that one is comfortable with and use global travel to educate oneself about the details. Ellen eventually settled on the British 18th and early 19th Centuries, and our furniture, paintings, and china now largely reflect that choice. Some of our actual acquisitions have been made in London or Dublin, but most from auctions or dealers in America itself.

CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1 Reward and Risk

The Rewards of Travel

Risk

Managing the Risks

Aviation Risk

Physical Risk

Terrorism

Kidnap and Piracy

Political Instability

Chapter 2 Planning

Preplanning

Guidebooks

Chapter 3 Practicalities

Airlines

Hotels

Packing

Food

Languages

Currency

Cameras and diaries

Chapter 4 Oceans, Seas, Rivers and Ports

Greek Isles 1973

Galapagos 1983

Turkey and the Sea Cloud 1994

Circumnavigating Arabia 1996

The Society Islands 1998

South Pacific 2014

Myanmar 2016

Western Mediterranean 1999

Baltic 2000

Antarctica 2001

Greenland and Baffin Island 2004

The Panama Canal 2004

The Aleutians and Kamchatka 2006

Alaska Cruise 2007

Svalbard and the White Sea 2007

Belize 2008

Bahamas – Dearma’s Cruise 2009

Black Sea 2011

Danube River 2012

Indian Ocean 2012

Malabar Coast

Maldives

Mauritius

Cuba 2016

The Amazon 1994 and 2015

Indonesia 2017

Southeast Asia – 2018

Macau – 2018

Philippines – 2018

Borneo – 2018

Sumatra – 2018

Caribbean - 2019

Barbados

Saint Lucia

St. Kitts and Nevis

Saint Eustatius

St. Bart’s and Guadaloupe

Antigua

A Second Panama Canal Cruise – 2020

Columbia River Cruise 2021

Chapter 5 Africa

East Africa

Our First Trip in 1972

Rwanda and the Gorillas 2011

The Migration: Sasakwa 2011 and 2013

Ethiopia 2013

Southern Africa

The First Trip: South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, 1993

Namibia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, South Africa, 1996

South Africa, Zimbabwe, 1997

South Africa, Botswana, 1998

South Africa, Botswana, 1999

Bash in the Bush, 2001

Sveni and Lion Sands, 2005

The Massacre at 40K Pan, 2009

Singita 2014

South Africa and Botswana – 2018

Into the Desert: Mali, Senegal and Gambia 2006

Northern Africa

Morocco 1981-2014

Libya and Tunisia 2006

Egypt 1983, 2019

Algeria – 2019

Chapter 6 Asia

China 1989

Tibet and South China, 2007

China 2016

Mongolia 2008

Turkestan 2009

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Caucasus 2010

Armenia 2010

Georgia

Azerbaijan

India 1991-2015

The Neem Tree

Tigers and Business

Japan 1975-2006

Our first visit in 1975

Returning to Japan - 2006

Japan with Grandchildren 2016

Far Eastern Highlights

Thailand 1991-2016

Laos 2008

Hong Kong 1975

Taiwan 1992 and 1994

Korea 1994 and 2006

Singapore and Malaysia 1976-2016

Vietnam 1994, 2008

Cambodia 2008

Israel 1983, 1983, 1997, 2015

The Crusades

Dubai 2012 and Abu Dhabi 2016

Chapter 7 Europe

Italy 1960-2014

France 1958-2019

British Isles 1960-2017

Scotland 1980

Ireland 1991-2009

Germany 1958-2009

Spain and Portugal 1972-2015

Russia 1960-2017

Poland 1960-2019

Poland – 2019

Lithuania – 2019

Switzerland 1958-2018

Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg 1966-2010

Hungary 1984-2015

Austria and Slovakia

Balkans 1973 – 2019

Yugoslavia 1973

Corfu 2018

Albania -2018

Macedonia -2018

Kosovo 2018

Montenegro 2018

Croatia 2018

Bosnia 2018

Serbia 2018

Slovenia 2019

Malta 2009

Cyprus 2015

Iceland 2012

Chapter 8 The Americas

Montana: Choteau, 1998

New Mexico: Taos, Los Alamos, and Santa Fe

Wyoming 2021

Alberta 1991 - 2009

The Polar Bears of Churchill 2008, 2017

Quebec

Nova Scotia 2013

Mexico 1975, 1990, 2016

Peru and Ecuador 1987 - 2015

Bolivia 2017

Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile 1975-2010

Colombia 2012

Chapter 9 The Antipodes

Australia 1976-2005

Fiji

Indonesia

Appendix

CHAPTER 1

Reward and Risk

The Rewards of Travel

T HE KEY TO happy travel is the variety of rewards. Prioritizing one’s goals is the foundation of a successful trip. It unlocks an appreciation of the world’s cultures and its great civilizations. The natural environment comes to life with mountains, rivers, savannahs, glaciers and the variety of animals and plants that survive and thrive in it. It enriches academic fields from history, geology, art, architecture, archaeology, anthropology, and paleontology. It affords physical adventures from trekking to diving, or if one prefers, personal luxury and relaxation, and the ability to experience the world’s varied and often superb cuisines. To this must be added the chance to share, with children, grandchildren, and friends.

Each of us will assign different values to these opportunities, and each trip will have a different mix. Some goals will overlap. Goals will change over time; physical adventure such as mountain climbing fits one’s twenties and thirties; beyond the sixties, exposing another generation to the great cultures of Europe and Asia can be very satisfying. No single trip can rank high in all these elements. but multiple trips can provide balance and fill in many of the gaps.

A life of travel is a choice. Many never venture forth, or do so but only to a handful of destinations. Others travel extensively during an active business life and are one day quite content to say no more. Ellen and Peter have chosen to continue, even if with different motivations and different priorities. Ellen loves the total immersion of travel and the challenges of dealing with its inevitable surprises and opportunities. Travel distances one from the stresses of ordinary life and puts these into perspective. As such it is a source of personal renewal.

When one encounters an unusual site or a new culture, it creates the occasion to learn far more about it in a way that no television documentary can equal. We need this badly. We all have friends (some of them once very vital and successful people) whose minds are closing in and whose dinner-table conversation is limited to televised sports, golf, politics, and personal health. Much of the input is fed to them by the mass media. This sad phenomenon may have, at its root, a lack of direct primary experience. Primary knowledge is much more powerful than secondhand knowledge. The human mind seems to be able to hang a great deal of ancillary knowledge on a single real experience. Secondary knowledge is forgettable. It also is suspect because reality is filtered by the interests of the knowledge provider—whether these interests are political, economic, cultural, or religious. We can still recall indelible conversations we have had in Kenya, China, Hungary, and Cambodia as people told us about their personal and family experiences in difficult times. Such tales may be anecdotal, but they are powerful primary data.

Value, for us, is still a major consideration, and this book will explain how we try to create it. At an earlier point in our lives, budgets and costs constrained what we could do. Now the chief constraint is time, defined by our personal and business calendars. We would therefore consider a high-cost but superb experience superior to a bargain-price and mediocre trip. We are increasingly conscious that budgets, for better or worse, are a factor in segregating interesting and experienced travel companions from tourists that are clueless, boring, or even rude. Consequently, this is not a book that will guide potential travelers to conventional vacation sites at attractive prices or to bargain cruise boats, but one that blends the rewards listed above.

As such things do, our journey began as kids on a hill. Not exactly kids, but hardly adults. The physical hill was real enough—a foothill of the gentle mountain range known as the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. There in 1961, Peter told his future wife, Ellen, on a hillside at Mount Holyoke College that if she married him, she would see the world. Perhaps the setting had something to do with the outcome, for nearby Mount Holyoke was once a leading travel attraction in the United States, only somewhat eclipsed by Niagara Falls. It boasted one of the East’s first summit lodges, begun in 1821, and expanded many times to become the grand Prospect House, complete with a tram to take passengers debarking from the steamboat dock on the Connecticut River up some four hundred feet to the summit.

Peter’s promise was certainly not enough to seal the deal, but Ellen was forewarned. She soon traveled with him to Western Europe and Russia. She was not then fully converted. When he suggested a safari, she dismissed it as too risky, saying that if he wanted to visit zoos, there were plenty closer by. He won that discussion, and she was hooked—back to Africa a dozen times. But she added a dimension to his travels—she studied the best accommodations. That was a benefit. On the other hand, she passed on three excellent trips because some of the accommodations were then primitive. But she unintentionally became a nearly fearless traveler, quite willing to travel on her own, whether in Europe or in Africa.

In later years, we mixed in some high-end travel, which also can broaden one’s view about the better things in life. One should have flown the Concorde and roomed at the Ritz of Paris if only to define the experience. A good thing, for now the Concorde is gone, and the old Ritz has been massively renovated.

To be balanced, a lifetime of travel has annoyances and risks. Jet lag, both on the first days of a trip and upon returning home, is a drag. Air travel surprises, security and border bureaucracies, visas, petty theft, and aggressive travelers are almost inevitable. Some of our friends seem prone to the dangers of local food. A weakness of group travel is that the groups too often include people that are not fun to travel with. (Some groups and guides are very good, by the way, and through a process of self-selection, they get better the more obscure and the more expensive the itinerary.) However, these inconveniences are made up for by the surprising hospitality one receives in most parts of the world. Travel grows on one as other interests wane. History grows richer the more one learns of history itself and the factors that shape history, such as geography, technology, and economics. And it is more fun to walk into a real tomb in Egypt or China than to watch a Tomb Raider reenactment.

One doesn’t just decide to travel to exotic locations. There is the matter of time, the matter of money, and the matter of common sense. Getting there is part of the experience; selecting the site and planning the itinerary is another. Even getting lost can enhance one’s understanding of a city or a region! Research, after the trip itself, will put what one has seen in context. Practically speaking, guided tours move much too fast for reflection, for reasons of logistics and because of the limited attention spans of same travelers. Adjust your planning for these realities.

Finally, planning must take into account the realities of life cycles. Young people cannot usually afford long periods away from their jobs or expensive travel budgets. Later in life the expenses may be less daunting, but time is still an issue. There may be a sweet spot at retirement. In Peter’s case, his work brought him to many new places, because his jobs usually contained an international component. Knowledgeable business colleagues enhanced his experience in many foreign cities. The motivated traveler can use the weekend to add some culture. Given the costs and time of getting to an international destination, once the initial bill is paid one should not lightly pass up the opportunity to see what there is to see. The local attractions are not only valuable of themselves, but they synthesize the historical, cultural, and geographic experience.

This book aims at providing the reader a perspective on what the world holds for a curious traveler. There already exists a wonderful notion of seeing the one thousand best places before you die, popularized in books and websites. Our tale of travel begins long before such a checklist was conceived. It covers a significant portion of these sites but attempts to put them in the perspective of modern history, earlier history, technology, economics, and geography. That may help a reader order her/his priorities, but her own research and interests will carry her yet further. A thousand sites is a lot to cover. At one per week, it requires twenty years. Some sites, like Easter Island, are so remote that the cost-benefit equation is questionable, even if the bragging rights are impressive. Later in life, physical limitations rather than money may become the limiting issue (trekking in the Himalayas cannot be postponed too long). Still, during our travels, we have been impressed by the number of intrepid elderly adventurers soldiering on to see more and more while time remains.

In any case, seeing it all has never been our goal. Much more, it has been defining and experiencing the new Grand Tour. Our journey began with trips with a useful purpose and then progressed to trips inspired by curiosity and adventure. This progression² through the psychological levels of safety, curiosity, and synthesis has brought us to about 180 countries. It has had some scary moments, but it has been fun. The emphasis of this book, too, will be on the unique places and experiences: there is less need to describe such essential but well-documented sights such as the Tower of London, the Louvre, Piazza San Marco, the Parthenon, or the Great Wall, spectacular and interesting as they may be. But what is off the beaten track will be the heart of our tale: Kwando Lebala, Banpo, Elephant Island, Ouarzazate, and Falun—these are worth describing. Also, some of these places are quite fragile and will never be accessible in the same way. The rich wildlife on the Nile River in Uganda has been obliterated during a period of political chaos. Yemen has joined a substantial number of places where kidnap risk has become an important consideration. Old Buddhist statues in Afghanistan and temples in Syria have been demolished by fanatics. There was a time one could walk freely around Stonehenge, the Athenian Acropolis, and the Xian warrior pits. Once Angkor was a remote location. Now all these sites have been changed by crowds and security.

In some ways, though, travel has become easier and more productive. Infrastructure across the world is improving. Travel specialist firms have expanded itineraries and access to new sites. The Internet in general and Wikipedia in particular can be used to enrich the experience, as well as to avoid disappointing choices. It is now possible to access these resources on a smart phone even when one is standing before the object itself. Google Maps allows one to preview a trip, often with a photographic view of a street or road and related images. These sources complement the human guides, who only have so much time and are constrained by budgets and the reality that clients have different interests and sometimes short attention spans. Digital technology has vastly increased the power of the camera, eliminated all the drawbacks of film, and allowed one to print an image or view it on a brilliantly lit screen. One can photo edit the best images and readily publish them in the form of physical or virtual photo albums. And one can instantly e-mail them to friends.

Risk

Risks are on every traveler’s mind in a day when the news cycle brings stories of accidents, earthquakes, epidemics, floods, and above all terrorism. The risks are real, though they are for the most part small. It is worth thinking them through and avoiding the worst ones. If travel is to be a hobby, risks become part of the equation. Our view is that there is a great deal to be missed by erring too far in the direction of caution, but there are definitely times to cut your losses. We have taken some risks, because risk adds stimulus to experience, and the real world is not Disney World. But we also consolidated a view that foolish risks are foolish, and we avoid dangerous conveyances, dangerous people, and volatile politics.

Exposure, in terms of time spent in a risky situation or neighborhood, is a big factor in risk. In our own case, we have traveled on both business and overseas vacations for nearly sixty years, multiple times each year. Our estimate is that this amounts to at least five years—a lot of exposure. But by far the most of it has been in very safe places.

Managing the Risks

Aviation Risk

Travel overseas means a lot of time spent on airplanes. Fortunately, commercial aviation has improved vastly over the past six decades and is generally very safe world around. It should not be the most important of your concerns. However, the level of risk is not evenly distributed.

Flying itself can have some adventurous moments. In 1972, on a return flight from Kampala to Nairobi, we asked the pilot (we were the only two passengers in a DC-3) for another view of Murchison Falls. This idea was suggested by a guidebook and would be considered irresponsible today. He obliged by flying very low and close to the falls. Since we were obviously enjoying it, he decided to buzz some water holes, and it was quite a sight to see herds of buffalo scatter in all directions. In the process he asked us to change seats from side to side to get the best views. Was it safe? No airline would permit it today, but we have never regretted it. Peter was so impressed by the silk scarf stuff, even if it was neither safe nor environmentally sensitive, that he began flying lessons when he returned to Midland, Michigan. These lessons though made him more knowledgeable than the average passenger about the real risks one faces in the air, especially weather and pilot error.

Flying can be beautiful too. On Peter’s first trip to Brazil, he flew from Miami to Lima, Peru, and on to Sao Paulo. The second leg was just after sunrise and offered magnificent views of the Andes with gleaming snows and sharp shadows. To make it better, a beautiful flight attendant served breakfast and champagne on sterling silver plate. It doesn’t get better than that.

The biggest risk in aviation is probably flying in bad weather to make the schedule. In this regard, one should favor bigger planes and more experienced pilots, assuming they are available. The bigger planes have better navigational equipment, and the younger pilots are more vulnerable to pressure. The problem is not only international; Peter once asked a young commercial pilot not to take off in the face of an approaching storm on a flight to Martha’s Vineyard from Boston. A good thing that was. He aborted in the middle of the takeoff roll when huge raindrops started to hit the windscreen. Peter also suggested a bush pilot in Alaska turn back rather than proceed up a mountain pass to a remote site offering bear watching. The pilot might have been too committed to getting there. But the advice was readily accepted. On return, we learned the pilot’s associate had crashed into a mountain only the week before.

Defective equipment and inadequate maintenance are a risk, especially in small and poor countries. There have been thirty-nine fatal incidents involving the Tu-154, an aircraft widely used in the former Soviet Union. We ourselves can recall ceiling panels of a Tu-154 falling down on landing as we flew from Bishkek to Tashkent.

Helicopters have about a hundredfold higher rate³ of fatal accidents per flying hour than commercial aviation. Weather can be an issue, as can be the required intervals for helicopter maintenance overhauls. Still, a helicopter accident is a minor risk when one flies a hundred hours or less in a lifetime. We fit in that category and do not hesitate to use them to get to places that can only otherwise be reached by difficult hikes. We have particularly enjoyed the volcanoes of Hawaii, Iceland, and Kamchatka. The last of these was in an Mi-8, the Russian version of the U.S. military Blackhawk. Then one can view lava fields, glaciers, and geysers and climb up along sheer cliffs. The Australian Outback by helicopter is another unique experience, since the Robertson utility helicopters double for mustering cattle and have no doors. So, fasten your seat belt! Helicopter tours are generally expensive, so the average tourist is unlikely to load up on this form of risk.

Balloons are a third form of adventure aviation. Everyone should experience a hot-air balloon ride at least once. Then one appreciates its romance and its risks. Generally, the rides begin very early in the morning when the wind is still. Passengers are driven to the takeoff site and loaded into a gondola. Then the balloon is filled, first with fans blowing ambient air, then with heated air to create positive buoyancy and lift off. Control is the problem. The pilot can only increase or decrease the rate of ascent or descent, and he has only two tools: a hot-air burner fueled with propane and a vent on the balloon to release excess hot air. Directional control is marginal and depends solely on the fact that the wind may be blowing in different directions at different altitudes. He may ascend to a higher altitude and drop an object or liquid, which can then be seen to drift with the prevailing wind on its trip to the ground.

From the ground, the balloon ride seems majestic and serene; in the gondola, however, the intermittent roar of the propane burner is not pleasant. Of course, the choice of what will be seen depends on the prevailing wind.

There are several dangers. If the wind builds up, landing becomes very hazardous. In our mind this risk exceeds that in helicopters or aircraft, which affords more pilot control. Powerlines must be avoided at all costs, not to mention trees, cliffs, buildings, etc. Fire is a risk. And more basically, all the balloons we have been in pose physical challenges on entry and exit; an ankle injury climbing out can ruin a nice vacation.

The risk aside, a balloon voyage offers a unique perspective on the land below, whether it is the African savanna or the pagodas of Bagan.

Physical Risk

Don’t underestimate ordinary physical risk. While the consequences are generally less severe than from aviation accidents or terrorist activities, physical injuries are much more common and can destroy a vacation for the traveler, and likely for her companions. The combination of a poorly engineered or maintained path, hidden obstacles, or distraction from others near you can lead to a disabling slip or fall. Bicycle accidents are common, and many falls lead to injury. It is too easy for an American to absentmindedly step off the curb in a left-hand-drive country. Wear safe shoes when outside. If there is a handrail, use it! Beware the wide stone staircases in museums and government buildings. If trekking along a rocky path, consider a walking stick. Inspect small boats before committing to them, and be sure they have life preservers. Remember that evacuation from a remote area can be very expensive. Do we carry emergency evacuation insurance? Yes.

Terrorism

The chances of being directly affected by terrorism are mathematically very remote. While incidents occur daily,⁴ they occur over an enormous globe and even then tend to be concentrated in a few places, such as Pakistan and Iraq. Tourists are a target less than 2 percent of the time. Tthe probability of being in the wrong place at the wrong time is very low. Yet September 11, 2011, was a very scary day for Peter. The first attack on the World Trade Center occurred while he was having a business breakfast in Stamford, Connecticut. The second attack came a few minutes later, and the possibility of continuing business was forgotten. He was due at LaGuardia Airport for a late-morning flight; he realized it would be canceled and bridges might close, so he elected to drive his rental car home to Washington DC, all the time listening to the news, which was chaotic. A newscaster reported that a United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco had crashed near Pittsburgh. It suddenly dawned on him that our pregnant daughter was scheduled to fly from Washington Dulles to California that morning. Could she be on that flight? It took an awful hour to determine that she wasn’t, but she was in the air with United. Her flight was diverted to Ohio, where she was stuck for a week. Our thoughts turned quickly to whom we might know in the World Trade Center, where initial casualty estimates were in the range of ten thousand. On driving through Washington, the smoke from the hit on the Pentagon was clearly visible. It was all too close, could easily have been much worse for our family, and had substantial indirect and emotional effects.

Kidnap and Piracy

Unlike terrorism, the risk of kidnap in some countries is substantial. As independent travelers, we are visible, vulnerable, and valuable. Our clothing brands us as American tourists. We have no weapons or bodyguards. And ransom money can mean millions of dollars to poor people if they are able to collect it.

Where have we encountered this risk?

Piracy is a risk near the Horn of Africa (especially Somalia), in Indonesia and the Malacca Straits, near the coast of West Africa, and in the Caribbean. Pirates in West Africa, however, primarily attempt to steal oil, and those in the straits target cargo. However, smaller ships and yachts are very vulnerable to a speedboat and a few assault rifles. Big cruise ships take precautions in these waters, and their size and speed are important safety factors.

It became virulent near the Horn of Africa around 2008, targeting hotels and ships and holding crews and tourists hostage. International naval action in time solved this problem. We had booked a cruise to the Seychelles, Comoros, and Madagascar in 2009 on the Clelia II, a small luxury cruise boat. The cruise was canceled. We seriously considered a cruise from Cape Town to Accra (Ghana) in 2013 on the Corinthian II, a small cruise ship we had used before, but backed out when our research suggested it would be too slow and vulnerable in poorly patrolled West African waters. We did have friends on that boat, and their e-mails told us that the trip was not without its problems. But all arrived safely, if a few days late.

The prevalence of Kalashnikov assault rifles was a conspicuous feature of our trip to Yemen in 1996. The fact that we were with a group and the political atmosphere was relaxed reduced the risks. Even so buses are very vulnerable if targeted. We would not go to Yemen or several other Mideast countries today.

Latin America, too, has had kidnap issues. Guns were allowed on the streets of Colombia as recently as 2015, and kidnapping for many years was common in the cities of Cali and Medellin. Things have improved considerably, and our advice is to visit this lovely country, but be careful. There is risk in parts of Mexico and much more in Venezuela.

Political Instability

From a tourist’s viewpoint, political instability means there is a significant possibility of a disruptive or dangerous incident occurring in a host country during one’s visit. For example, we had considered a Harvard University–sponsored trip to Lebanon and Syrian, scheduled for January 2011. It would have included the ruins of Phoenician and Greek civilizations in Byblos, the fabulous temples of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley, the ancient ruins of Palmyra, and the historic Crusader fortress Krak des Chevaliers. Unfortunately, political tensions were running high owing to efforts in Lebanon to try the assassins of former premier Rafik Hariri, with accusations involving both Syria and Hezbollah. Our judgment was that a violent incident was all too possible, and we didn’t sign up for the trip. It came off just fine, but only a few weeks later, on March 15, protesters filled the streets of Damascus, and the Syrian Civil War began. Palmyra has been devastated by ISIS, and the Krak badly damaged.

The Arab Spring also resulted in the cancellation of a planned trip to Egypt with our grandchildren—we were fortunate to get almost $50,000 in deposits refunded. We canceled another planned trip to Balkan countries in 2015, when it appeared risky because of refugees and migrants at the border crossings.

A trip to Iran, another very interesting destination, would probably be very safe with regard to terrorism or kidnapping but still appears marginal to us because of similar political risks. There are a number of other interesting destinations that we would currently avoid: Libya, Nigeria, Mali, Pakistan, and Myanmar among them.

Will trip insurance mitigate these risks? Our reading of the policies suggests that the circumstances under which one can actually collect are very narrow, and they are a waste of money.

CHAPTER 2

Planning

Preplanning

O UR FIRST ADVICE regarding planning a trip is to conceptualize several of them. This homework prepares one for unexpected opportunities. Each year tour companies, university travel associations, and cruise lines will offer hundreds of itineraries, many predictable and a few unique. Unique features include great lecturers, a terrific boat (such as the Sea Cloud ), or difficult destinations, such as Papua New Guinea, Easter Island, or McMurdo Sound. Other trips simply fill gaps missed by previous travels. Yet others may fit in with visits to overseas friends or business trips. For example, we planned a short trip to Malta from London on the tail end of a business trip – it is probably easier to get there from London than via nearby Sicily.

An important consideration is the season. The Arctic and Antarctic are available only in certain months. Deserts can be simply too hot for a few months of the year. Winter in temperate climates can be bleak, with short days. On the other hand, going off season can eliminate the summertime crowds, and offer better or less expensive access to prime hotels. We particularly like to travel in the second week of December because business matters are pretty much wound up by the first week and the family activities of Christmas season are not quite upon us. Whether it is India or Italy, the hotel space will likely be available.

Wikipedia is an amazing planning resource. One can visit a virtual city in seconds, see photographs of the key attractions, and understand the historical context. Interestingly, when time is limited and the choices many, this ability can not only help select great destinations, but to postpone lesser ones. This situation occurred recently during a short driving trip through the Netherlands, which is very rich in cultural sites, and has some great hotels too. Selectivity is a must under such circumstances, as in choosing between a day in Delft and a day in Leiden.

In unfamiliar regions of the world, it is very useful to use proven itineraries, such as those marketed by university alumni travel sites, such as the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA). You don’t need to be an alumnus to read the itinerary, and usually any affiliation with the university will let you join the group. There are many purely commercial travel agencies, such as Abercrombie and Kent, that offer similar tours. If the lecturers are good these can be great experiences. Still the dates or budgets may not fit with your schedule.

There is a good thing to know, however. Generally, three levels of agencies are used to put the tour together. Each has its own way of making a profit. First, there is the group that markets the tour, such as HAA. (Often one of their people goes along to sort out any problems.) Secondly, there is a travel specialist (such as MIR or Wild China) that has broad connections in certain regions of the world. One of their agents will come along, and they are usually very good. Thirdly, there are local agencies that provide local guides, cars and drivers, and who master the details of when museums are open, get tickets for theater or concerts and know which restaurants are good.

Usually, one can skip the marketed tour and contact the travel specialist directly, who will put an individual tour in place for you with a similar itinerary on your choice of dates, and even customize it do more of your favorite thing and less of something else! It should cost no more.

Hotels are a special issue. The marketed tours may or may not make the best hotel selection at each of your stops. This problem may be in part an effort to keep the total cost of the tour competitive, but may also occur because of established relationships between various travel agents and the hotels themselves. In addition, some of the best hotels will not take groups, but this consideration does not apply to you on a custom itinerary. We consider it a must to check with TripAdvisor on each of the recommended hotels. You are likely to find some surprising comments, although more often you will rest assured that your agent has made a wonderful choice. With just another click, some alternatives come up. Often, they are better and sometimes even less expensive. Location is an issue; on its merits as a place to stay, we would have chosen the Ritz-Carlton in Kyoto, but it was remote and the impersonal Gran Via was terrific for train connections. Finally, you may have frequent guest (hotel) mileage that you may want to redeem. Expect to spend a few hours on the hotel project, for they will pay off. Ellen has written hundreds of hotel reviews, and these have been included (and can be found!) in the earlier versions of Grand Tourist; they are excluded here to save space.

Guidebooks

Next, a word about guidebooks. These have their uses, but wiki is making them increasingly obsolete. Some of the Frommer’s guides are good, others mediocre. The Lonely Planet series seems to be designed for budget travelers and is a last resort. Michelin Green guides have the advantage of rating attractions as worth a journey (3-star), worth a detour (2-star), interesting (1-star) or no stars). This feature is great in selecting which medieval town in Italy to stop at, or which three churches in Venice should take top priority. Physically, they are also wonderfully durable publications, but their maps are challenging. The Michelin Red guides are all about restaurants, and we think TripAdvisor may be more useful. Michelin Red is heavily biased toward expensive French cuisine and it is said there is lots of politics in getting the three stars. Reservations are often tough to get on short notice. Unless you are a committed gourmet, using it to select your restaurants may actually limit the excitement and variety of great dining experiences in places like Amsterdam or London. There are also excellent guides to boutique hotels, such as Leading Hotels of the World and Relais and Chateaux. These smaller hotels and inns seldom disappoint on quality, are often unique architecturally, and can help shape a driving itinerary. But such books are best used at home for planning and are too heavy to carry.

CHAPTER 3

Practicalities

Airlines

T HE FIRST TIME Peter traveled to Europe, in 1958, it was still by ocean liner. The second time in 1960 it was by a propeller-driven two-engine Convair 340 charter, which stopped three times – Gander, Iceland and Ireland – for fuel. On his first flight to Japan, in 1977, it was a thirteen-hour non-stop flight on a luxurious Pan Am 747, a plane introduced in 1970. The aeronautical progress over two decades was astonishing. Flying was still an elite experience. Airport security was unobtrusive, fares were high but predictable, and the first frequent flyer programs were two years in the future.

Since deregulation in 1978, airline competition has resulted in much lower fares (perhaps 45%) for the average passenger, but also to a race to the bottom in the quality of the travel experience. The number of flyers has increased exponentially, and most seem to buy their tickets based on cost. Older terminals are crowded beyond their design assumptions, seats are notably smaller, and multiple amenities have been replaced by multiple fees.

Today, upmarket international travel is anything but simple, owing to complex fare structures, where fares vary constantly with demand and booking date. It is said that it is highly unlikely any two passengers on a flight are paying the same fare. Finding the best fare incidentally tends to create long and multiple conversations with airline agents, a huge inconvenience to passengers and a huge cost to airlines, but presumably still a net benefit to the average airline, which counts on zinging the last-minute business traveler.

These are our basic observations:

1. Fly business class except for flights under two hours. The cramped conditions in coach class are physically exhausting and a health hazard (especially respiratory disease exposure and deep-vein thrombosis) to older passengers.

2. If you travel frequently, concentrate your travel with a single airline and airline group (i.e., United and Star Alliance) to maximize your elite status. With high status, free domestic upgrades are frequent, but these don’t translate well to international upgrades. Low status on several airlines is useless. Your best choice of primary airline will depend on whether you fly primarily north-south or east-west.

3. Accumulate mileage on your primary airline, and on credit-card mileage programs. They add up fairly fast, but the airlines constantly dilute the value by restricting dates, increasing mileage requirements, and adding fees. Date restrictions are the biggest problem, but many airlines let you buy choice dates by paying more mileage. Do this, since keeping more mileage in the bank subjects you to ever-worsening terms.

4. Be opportunistic. The 12-hour+ class of trips – to the Orient, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia should be long enough to amortize the cost (either in dollars or miles) over ten days or more. On the other hand, good deals are available that make a short trip to Europe or other closer points feasible when one has an open week to play! A good trick when the award tickets are free is not to worry about the destination – pick your dates and ask what is available. Something, somewhere, likely is, and you can be creative on how to build a trip around it.

5. Recognize you have three choices. First you can buy tickets: when fares are low and mileage is long this may be a great option. There are few date restrictions. Second, you can upgrade using mileage. This is difficult on international flights because of ubiquitous date restrictions. Third, you can buy first or business class trips paying entirely by mileage. If you can get the dates, which may require multiple phone calls, it can work well.

6. Factor in the differences among airlines. At present, flying east (from NY), we find Lufthansa, with great lounges in Frankfurt, and its affiliates Swiss and Austrian reasonably good, but declining in value. All the American carriers, British Air, and Air France, are spotty on quality and have some terrible terminals. Flying west, ANA and Asiana (Korea) are good – modern planes, decent service and good terminals (except Narita). To India and even to Singapore consider using the big airport in Dubai served by Emirates or the growing one in Abu Dhabi served by Etihad. Both the planes and facilities are very good. Consider staying overnight in a luxury hotel, like the Ritz-Carlton in Abu Dhabi. You can see a few things in town, get some rest, and partially adjust your jet lag. Otherwise, get to your destination a day early, rest up, and use the reserve time for any problems such as lost luggage.

7. Some airlines are dangerous, particularly in Africa and the former Soviet Union, where maintenance is poor and safety culture is weak.

Hotels

As mentioned earlier, in the planning phase use TripAdvisor or other websites to do some basic research.

In the big cities, the first rule in hotels is location, but you will inevitably pay for it. Top spots are Mayfair or Knightsbridge in London, Saint Honoré in Paris, Midtown Manhattan, and the Via Veneto in Rome. A mile or so outside these districts, prices drop significantly. If available to you, reciprocal clubs can put you in great locations (i.e., Pall Mall) at a very reasonable price, but the rooms may be shabby. How to beat the game? Redeem your hotel mileage credits abroad, especially in expensive European cities.

Consider a junior suite, especially if you are staying a few days. There is more space for luggage and more desk space for your computers and papers. From a junior suite, there is also a better chance of a free upgrade to a serious suite, which may bring with it two bathrooms and a living space where the children (if any are along) can set up their games and puzzles.

The concierge lounge, if available, is generally a great deal. Three full meals a day in restaurants chops up a day and is expensive in big cities. A light breakfast and a snack in the concierge lounge, with perhaps a glass of wine in the evening, helps take the pressure off. Concierge lounges can be free if one has elite status with the hotel chain. But beware that many are closed for the weekend.

Airport hotels can be very good or very shabby. Some are convenient to the airport, but others can be surprisingly far away. Shuttle service may or may not be included in the cost, and contacting the hotel can be an issue. But a Grand Tourist will inevitably want to use some airport hotels. This variability can be a problem when your flight arrives late at night, or leaves early in the morning. Don’t assume anything – do some research.

Packing

Lost luggage can be a disaster for a trip, especially if you arrive just before your cruise boat departs for obscure ports. We have seen people spending the week on board in the same tee shirt, listening to questionable assurances that their luggage will be meeting them in the next port. We have three tips.

1. Avoid tight connections on the way out. A commuter airline feeding an international airport can easily be transformed into a disconnect by a summer storm. Take the earlier flight and relax.

2. Get to your destination a day or two early. Don’t plan any activities for day of arrival – just catch up on sleep, clean up, and take a walk around town. This strategy helps solve the jet lag problem, and likely if your luggage has been lost it will arrive the next day if not in the next few hours. Don’t change planes to save a small amount of money.

3. Carry on and wear what you what you need to survive on land for an extra day or two, plus essential medicines. You can supplement this basic kit as you go along by shopping and renew it with laundry services.

Laundry services in luxury hotels are annoyingly expensive, but on African safaris many lodges are happy to provide free, if basic, services. A two-day stay can be used to do some hand washing. These considerations help determine how many shirts, undies, and socks you need to pack.

Our favorite travel uniform is blue blazer and khakis. It has the drawback of instantly identifying you as an American, but the advantage that officials, airline employees, and other travel professionals will accord you more respect. It has happened that we have thereby been pulled from long immigration queues into the diplomat/VIP lane. Blue jeans are not helpful in this respect. The blue blazer is also a versatile outfit. It can help keep you warm, has five pockets for documents, glasses, pens, etc., and is acceptable garb for dinner in any good restaurant. A light cashmere sweater is great to wear on the airplane or in town on a cool day. Layers are a clever way to keep warm in cool weather; consider a tee shirt under a cotton dress shirt, plus a sweater, plus a light jacket. Add a pair of lightweight gloves and you are all set for anything above 40 degrees. Heavier stuff is needed below that but it is terribly bulky. Shoes are important: everyone needs at minimum one sturdy pair of walking shoes, or sneakers, and a pair of dress shoes for dinner. A safari jacket is useful where it doesn’t look silly. It can carry a lot of useful stuff such as camera accessories and guidebooks, and its inside or zippered compartments provide secure storage for passports and wallets. In places plagued by pickpockets a money belt is a good precaution. Broad-brimmed hats and sunscreen are a must, and in many destinations insect repellent is a good idea. A compact umbrella may be helpful if rain is expected, but umbrellas are cheap and often available gratis from the hotel.

Food

A cardinal rule is not to ruin a few days of your vacation with tourista. Our experience has been very good, probably because we follow a few simple rules. Drink only bottled water, soft drinks, beer, hot tea, or coffee. Don’t add ice. Avoid fruits and salads. This precaution is especially tough because the offerings often look great, and your travel companions will be enjoying them. Don’t risk it. The problem is that somewhere in the supply chain an employee with poor hygienic habits has handled the product – remember not all restaurant and hotel employees have running water at home. The exceptions are Europe, Japan, and good cruise ships, where the risks are minor. A luxury hotel in a developing country may be OK, but from experience we consider it a risk. Forget food from the local market.

Consider bringing a small amount of packaged food, such as cheese and crackers, with you. You will be in places where food is unavailable or unappetizing – these snacks will hold you until you get back to base.

Languages

Our advice is not to sweat language skills. The world is moving to English and all senior employees in the travel business have good-to-exceptional English skills. In London today, for example, most of the front desk folks seem to be from Eastern Europe, but their English is good.

Taxi drivers can be expected to have limited skills though, and in many countries the man on the street you ask for directions is unlikely to understand you. In Japan or China, a hotel business card presented to a taxi driver is a good guarantee that you can get back from your adventure. Pronunciation is a huge barrier – one can learn a few dozen words from a phrase book, but that does not guarantee that one will either understand them when spoken to you or be understood when you attempt to use them. Our practice is just to enlist a native speaker such as a guide or driver to tell us some key local words and attempt to use them.

From a language viewpoint, the world is separated in two parts. There is Europe and the former European colonies, which actually comprise the larger piece. Former British colonies are a cinch, Spanish covers Latin America, French is extremely useful in Africa, and Russian in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. On the other hand, there are places of limited European presence. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and the various Turkic languages are exceedingly challenging.

The authors were fortunate to be somewhat ahead of the game. Ellen has basic Spanish. Peter has taken language courses in French, German, and