My Friend Randy Shares His Journal Detailing Trips To Turkey, Israel and More
August 2nd, 2007
(Randy Gage is a wonderful human being. I am delighted to pass
along this adverture. Be sure to see the invitation at the end. If
you skip to the end you have missed a great deal. Steve Pohlit)
Dear Steve,
I’m just in from Istanbul, Turkey, finishing up what was an
amazing trip. It would be difficult to put together three more
interesting but different stops on one itinerary.
As you know, Prague is one of my favorite cities in the world.
The mélange of castles, languages, and traditions create one of
the coolest experiences in Europe. The people are friendly, the
food is amazing, and you are surrounded by culture everywhere.
I stayed again at the Four Seasons on the Vltava River, where
you can want for nothing. The Allegro restaurant there is one of
the best in the country, or any country for that matter. In fact
their strawberry lemon cheesecake rivals the “Tres Coco Muey
Loco” coconut crème brûlée here at Yuca in South Beach. (Which
is only the greatest desert ever made since the earth’s crust
cooled!) My favorites are the Italian entrees, but they also
feature Mediterranean and Bohemian specialties.
If you go to Prague, also be sure and stop by Cowboys
steakhouse, and the Kampa Park restaurant at the foot of the
Charles bridge. They’re part of the six restaurants of Nils
Jebens (one in Slovakia), a transplanted Norwegian who operates
some of the best restaurants around.
And finally, get reservations at Flambée, which is located in a
Gothic vault that dates back to the 11th century. The sampler
menu offers true continental dining with about seven courses,
and you drinkers will go ga-ga over the wine list. Be sure to
bring your Platinum card, as you can pick up a nice bottle of
Dom Perignon, for the bargain price of only about a hundred
grand. If you do order a pricey bottle of something, ask for a
tour of the wine cellar. They may not accommodate you, but if
you do, you’ll be simply stunned at the scope of what they have
down there.
As always, I hated to leave this magical city, but was excited
to visit to Israel for the first time. As you land in Tel Aviv,
you are immediately fascinated by the sights around you. When I
was there, it was a nice, balmy 113 degrees! Unfortunately I was
conducting seminars a great portion of the day, and didn’t have
a lot of free time to explore the city. But what I did see
certainly was intriguing. Everywhere you turn, you are
surrounded by history.
There was a civil service strike looming, so I canceled my
Austrian Air reservations for the next day, and flew in on the
red-eye on El Al, so I wouldn’t miss conducting my programs. If
you think security at the U.S. airports is tough, you should buy
a one-way, last minute ticket to Israel!
I received a security interview worthy of an international
assassin, which I finally ended only by showing a magazine that
featured a four-color profile of me. In all fairness though, I
must say Israel has ample reason to do serious security
screening, and they do it with a hundred times more efficiency
than the ridiculous and melodramatic bullshit the TSA in the
States makes us put up with.
Their security checkpoints are actually quite efficient, well
staffed, and quick. Ian Percy will be happy to know that they
don’t make you remove your shoes for no reason, and they have
x-ray machines that can actually see through your canvas laptop
bag.
As far as El Al, their airport gate management is horrendous and
their First Class cabin was nothing special. Service was
friendly, but you always have the feeling that the big burley
flight attendant in the front of the plane is chosen for his
biceps and self-defense skills, not his hospitality training.
(Which is probably as it should be.)
The Israeli people are absolutely delightful. They have a
vibrant passion for learning, and a voracious appetite for
success. There were almost 2,500 people at my program Wednesday
night, many who traveled down from Haifa, up from Jerusalem, or
from other areas of the country in the middle of the workweek.
Like Prague, I ate too much, slept too little, and was sad to
leave. But Turkey was beckoning…
The Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul was wonderful. It was an
older plane, but had been retrofitted nicely. The service was
friendly, the food was tasty, and the First Class cabin was one
of the brighter and roomier ones I have been in. And when you
start your descent into the city, the view is beyond
spectacular.
Like Mexico City, Istanbul isn’t dominated by skyscrapers, but
low-level buildings for as far as the eye can see. It’s just a
scintillating taste of what you’ll experience when you land.
Take the route along the sea, as you leave the airport. It will
take you 15 minutes longer, but the view along the way is
breathtaking. Everywhere you turn in the city, in any direction,
is a picture postcard, as it is one of the truly great romantic
cities. No matter where you go, you feel like you’re starring in
an Indiana Jones movie.
While you’re there, be sure and eat at Adana Dostlar or
Venge-Levent for some authentic Turkish food. Within ten seconds
of being seated, they will start loading your table with salads
and cheese. Within a minute they will bring out baskets of
steaming Turkish bread. This unique treat is wafer thin, covered
with sesame seeds and seasoning, and comes with a pillow of air
inside. Rip it open hot and stuff it with goat cheese for a
flavor to savor.
About the time you’ve eaten about ten things and are completely
stuffed, they start bringing the entrees! Barbequed lamb, shaved
lamb and lamb kebobs are main stays. Wash it all down with a
yogurt milk, and if you haven’t eaten everything, expect a
tableside visit from a horrified manager to ask what was wrong
with the cooking. The Turks believe a man without a belly is
like a condo without a balcony.
When you simply cannot eat another bite, then the desert starts.
You simply have to try it, as it really is special. They make a
special ice cream which is hand mixed in lamb skin, and so hard
you must cut it with a knife. It’s served with grated pistachio
on top and is simply heavenly. There is also a hot pastry,
similar to Greek Baklava, but served hot with baked cheese
inside. Just plan on starting your diet after you leave town.
Istanbul tracks back from Byzantium to Constantinople to its
place at the head of the Ottoman Empire. (You can still see the
walls built to protect the city during the Ottoman Empire.) The
skyline is studded with domes and minarets, as it is home to
over 4,000 mosques, each one more stunning than the last.
The city is divided into two continents by the Bosporus, a
strait joining the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmar. We were
staying in Anatolia (the Asian side), and went over to the
European side for dinner each night. The suspension bridge
connecting the sides is as beautiful as the San Francisco or
Sydney harbor ones, so it’s worth a drive over. Just don’t go in
a hurry, because traffic is a nightmare in Istanbul, and the
bridge is usually a focal point of the mess. But the
breathtaking view is certainly worth the effort. It will rival
anything you’ve seen.
But don’t stick to the bridge each time. The ferry ride from one
side to the other is a must experience. Walking around the city
is an absolute adventure. Just bring your Turkish dictionary, as
Turkey is still kind of a parochial place. Between my companion
Dmitry and I, we spoke English, Spanish, Russian, French, and
German – which will get you exactly nowhere with the vast
majority of the locals.
Bring a card with your hotel address on it and a map everywhere
you go. Istanbul is huge, and filled with thousands of little
streets. Most people, including taxi drivers, will have vast
swatches of the city they are not familiar with.
The streets here make the ones in San Fran look flat and
straight. Many are no wider than a compact car and a phone book.
If you drove a Bentley or a Testarossa into them you would be
stuck between the buildings on either side and would be forced
to cut a hole in the roof or die in your vehicle. Many appear to
be one-way, but actually go in the direction of the taxi driver
with the highest testosterone level. Some of these drivers will
roar down these glorified alleyways at 50 or 60 mph.
I can drive my Vipers at 165 mph without even raising my pulse
rate. But riding in Istanbul taxis I was petrified. The drivers
will weave between vehicles and people as though they don’t
exist. They flash their lights or tap the horn once. You get out
of their way or they go over you. If you are a pedestrian and
you think they will stop for you, you won’t be long for this
world.
Be sure and visit the Tunel neighborhood, which includes a
wonderful pedestrian mall you can walk through without fear of
being run down by a taxi. We found a funky restaurant called
News Cafeteria that had opened just two days before. They offer
fresh juices, burgers, sandwiches and some amazing crepe
deserts. It’s a cool, funky place, and the perfect spot to
people watch.
The other neighborhood to visit with a bunch of nice
restaurants, markets, and clubs is Ortakoy. We stopped for
coffee and cake on a roof top terrace overlooking the market
stalls one evening. Van Morrison was wafting through the
speakers, there was a perfect summer breeze, we heard the call
for prayers at a nearby mosque, and had a breathtaking view of
the bridge. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I was there three days and did a couple speeches, so I probably
saw about two percent of what the city has to offer. If you want
to do the city justice, give yourself two weeks. If you want to
explore the rest of the country, give yourself a year or so.
What an amazing place.
Just as I was leaving, I got a note from Chris Reynolds at the
Internet Marketing Center. They’re offering a special program
you’ll probably want to know about…
Chris told me that that Derek Gehl is offering 250 memberships
to the Web’s most powerful online Internet marketing community
– his “Internet Entrepreneur Club.” If you do ANY kind of
marketing online, you should make sure you snatch up one of
these before they’re all gone.
Here’s the deal…
Derek is looking for *real people* who’d like to become his next
Internet success story. (No computer or business experience is
required.) It’s a chance to use his team of Internet
business-building experts to learn how to start a wildly
lucrative Internet business in just 45 days.
He has protégées in this program earning an extra $4,000…
$7,500… even $12,000 per month, working as little as 15
minutes per day — even if you have NO business ideas or website
yet.
As you’ll see, there is absolutely no risk involved in test
driving this booming members-only community of Internet
entrepreneurs. In fact, for the next 30 days, Derek is willing
to let you try it for just $2.95. His only conditions are that,
once you’ve achieved your income goals, you agree to:
(#1) Write him a glowing testimonial, and (#2) Let him use your
success story to inspire others.
I strongly advise you to jump on this fast. You can get all the
details at: Internet Marketing Center
That’s it for now. I’m home just a couple days and then I’m off
on another around the world trip, so I’ll check in from
Australia or Asia. Have an amazing week!
-RG
PS RS is for Randy Gage. Click Here for his marvelous newsletter which is FREE
P.S.S. How would you like to work with Randy. “I Do” Yes that is completely correct. I am part of Randy’s team and proud of it. My last meeting with him was in July in Orlando. Look at this venture and see if “you get it” Click Here Now
Airplane ban on lighters ends Aug. 4
July 23rd, 2007
Airline passengers will be allowed to bring most cigarette lighters on board again starting next month, freeing airport screeners to spend more time searching for explosives.
And travelers without infants along will be allowed to carry more breast milk on planes to accommodate working mothers.
Starting Aug. 4, air travelers will be allowed to carry-on disposable butane lighters, such as Bics, and refillable lighters, like Zippos, the Transportation Security Administration announced Friday. But torch-style lighters, which have hotter flames, will still be banned.
Lighters are the leading item seized at airport checkpoints, an average of more than 22,000 a day. It costs TSA $4 million a year to dispose of them because they contain hazardous materials.
The other rule change on Aug. 4 applies to mothers — or anyone — wanting to bring more than 3 ounces of breast milk onto an airplane. Under current rules, the passenger carrying that amount of milk must be accompanied by an infant, but the new rules drop that requirement. The liquid will still have to be declared to screeners who might request additional inspection.
This Can Happen Anywhere Including An Airplane
July 15th, 2007
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - A Russian plane flying from St Petersburg in Russia to Doloman in Turkey had to turn back midflight after a drunken brawl over a young woman spun out of control, police said in a statement Friday.
Three young Russians boarded the plane drunk Thursday and “continued their party on board.”
“One of them took a fancy to a girl but she did not want to socialize with the new admirer,” police said.
On rejection, the passenger slapped the woman on her face several times. Another passenger immediately rose to defend her.
“A fight began, the situation started to get out of hand and the crew made the only right decision — to turn back.”
The three drunk men were detained on landing at /a St Petersburg airport. They faced fines of “dozens of thousands of dollars,” police said.
The woman received medical treatment at the airport and the plane resumed its flight to Turkey.
Personal Note: there is no way this situation should have resulted in the plane turning around. First allowing people drunk on a plane is against every airline’s rules and regulations. Next the passengers should not have to experience the delay of having to turn around. Notice this plane was half way to its destination. Why go back? Finally as a frequent air traveler I assure you , passengers are well equiped to protect fellow passengers and subdue offenders. There are many passengers and only one or a few of offenders - get it?
How to Prepare for a Trip With Your Kids
July 4th, 2007
A Special Report from International Living
How to Prepare for a Trip With Your Kids
By Leigh Fergus
With distant destinations now easily accessible, and low-cost airlines making travel more affordable-even with the recent hike in oil prices-most parents plan to take their children with them when they go abroad. Making a family vacation a success for all, however, takes a little more than just booking the tickets.
Health comes first
For off-the-beaten-track travel, before you even start opening the atlas, the first issue to consider is health. Ask yourself, if you want to go somewhere far off and exotic, whether your children are old enough to understand the importance of any necessary medication. Will they get something out of the vacation, too, apart from an increased dislike of long-haul flights? Pre-trip jabs may take their toll on your tots, and you may find that administering anti-malarial tablets, for example, to youngsters on a daily basis can get tiresome.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s better to avoid visiting areas at an altitude of more than 3,200 feet with babies under 12 months, and, while 2-year olds should be able to cope with 6,500 feet altitude, make sure you can turn back easily to lower ground if they start having difficulties. Regions affected by malaria, and those where recent outbreaks of rabies cases have been reported, are not recommended either. Check with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs for other warnings at http://travel.state.gov/.
Arrange for a medical check-up, and ask the advice of your local doctor or pediatrician well in advance of your planned vacation, to allow for possible inoculations, and to make sure your children will be able to travel well. Think also about the routines and natural rhythms that your children are used to-and every child is different. While a certain disruption will be inevitable, try to respect your children’s body clocks, and don’t try to cram too much into a short period: Round-the-world trips in eight days with under-10s may not be the best way to spend your vacation time!
When you are sure that this is going to be a fun time for the whole family, you can start planning properly. Here’s our guide to a stress-free trip with the kids.
Do your homework on your home from home
As with any major project, it pays to do a little research before taking action. We suggest that you contact the hotel or resort you are hoping to stay at, and ask them about facilities for babies and children. This should not be a one-question e-mail or phone call, however: Make a list of what is important to make the vacation go as smoothly as possible for you-and your off-spring. Here’s a mini-checklist to help you:
Questions to ask before you book your hotel/resort:
What are the room-sharing options for you and your children?
Are there childcare facilities, and what are they exactly?
How much do they cost, or are they included in the price of the rooms?
Are they available every day, all day, or only at certain times?
Is there a baby listening service?
Who are the child minders: hotel staff, specially trained hotel staff, outsiders?
What child-centered activities are on offer, and who runs them?
Do the kids have designated carers, or does the staff change every day?
What security measures are in place? Do parents sign the children in and out each day?
Are there indoor and outdoor play areas? Are they safe? Are they fun?
What food is available? Is it the same as the adult menu, is there only fried food, or are there special child portions?
When you are satisfied with the answers, and feel that your kids will have a good time, you’ll be ready to book your tickets.
Babies-to go, or no?
Many readers wonder if it is wise to travel with infants. In fact, the under-2s are probably the easiest age group to manage on the move. This is for several reasons: They travel free on airlines; babies of up to six months or so are still eminently portable and go easily on your lap; babies usually don’t suffer from jet-lag; and, last but not least, babies are an open sesame to a genuine welcome wherever you go, loved as they are all over the world. That said, keeping you and your baby happy and comfortable may involve some preparation…
Book the right seats
If flying with a baby, try to book specific seats in advance to give you more leg room and space for a travel cot. Let the airline know you are traveling with a baby, as you should be able to get priority when boarding, and they may even be able to provide a “sky cot” or special baby seats. For long flights, some couples try to get separate seating and then relay each other, one parent looking after the infant while the other tries to get some rest. This website can help you identify the right seats before you commit yourselves: http://www.seatguru.com.
If traveling by train, request seats together-two seats facing another two is a good configuration for families of four-and make sure to ask if there are any family reductions for the tickets. And, if driving a rental, check to see if child seats are provided.
Packing for baby
Pack plenty of disposable diapers in the main baggage, to check in, plus wipes, bibs, and milk formula, if you use it. In your hand luggage, you should include a few of these items plus a spare change of baby clothes, so that they are easily accessible during the journey.
If you are on a long-haul flight, you might consider preparing bottles of milk in advance, which you can ask the cabin staff to warm up for you, or, if you don’t mind the extra baggage, a travel sterilizer holding a couple of bottles without risk for up to three hours.
An alternative strategy is to prepare your baby for the journey in advance by feeding her cold food and milk occasionally in the weeks before the trip, so that if it isn’t possible to warm anything up, it’s not a drama.
Make sure to take a familiar blanket and spare clothes for your baby, so that you don’t need to worry about laundry facilities as soon as you arrive, but don’t overburden yourself either. Four changes should be enough-if you are heading somewhere warm, you could get away with even less. Remember that in hot climates, cotton is much more comfortable, and your baby will need a hat.
Strollers may end up being more trouble than they’re worth-depending on your destination, you may not find a smooth enough surface to use them once you arrive, and they may not arrive with the rest of your baggage. Instead, why not think about a backpack or sling to carry your baby, and, if she’s taking her first steps, encourage her to practice walking.
Flying with children
This is more challenging, because children-as opposed to babes in arms-are mobile and usually keen to stay on the move. On the plus side, there are seatbelts to keep them in place. With the right attitude, your kids may even look forward to their first (or subsequent) flights.
Contact the airline well in advance-at least 24 hours before the flight-to book any special children’s meals, and don’t forget to do the same for the return journey, too. Take advantage of any options to book specific seating, as a window seat is a boon and makes for constant distraction for younger children, plus they can’t escape down the aisle without you noticing. If this isn’t possible, why not ask the cabin crew if you can sit near other families, perhaps the kids could make friends, and if they get a little noisy, the other parents will be more understanding.
Check with your airline also to see if there is a special play area in the airport lounge, priority boarding, and special fun packs for children. Be sure to claim all these extras if you can, and ask about arranging visits to the cockpit.
The bare necessities…
A small first-aid kit is essential, to be packed in your main baggage (for security reasons, most airlines will not allow sharp objects in your carry-on), containing at the very least: a small sewing kit, good insect repellent and after-bite lotion, waterproof band-aids, crepe bandage, sterile dressings, a roll of micro-pore tape, antiseptic cream or wipes, analgesic, antihistamine for allergies and bad bites, suntan lotion, and a Swiss army penknife (with tweezers and scissors). Take some candied ginger or ginger biscuits if anyone in the family gets travel sickness, or take your usual medication for this.
You’ll have made a note of your passport numbers, issue and expiry dates, your travel details, and credit cards. Before you leave, take a digital photo of your passport pages, and send it to an e-mail address you can easily access, just in case, or leave photocopies with a trusted friend or family member who can be contacted easily. It shouldn’t be necessary to take more than two major credit cards with you, and one per adult is ideal, to minimize loss by theft.
Pack a few healthy snacks, in case of delays, especially for long journeys, and things that are easy to eat: dried fruit, such as raisins or figs, and fresh bananas, apples, and mandarins are convenient traveling fruit; fruit juice and water in screw-top bottles or individual cartons with straws are better than cans or family size cartons, and reduce the risk of spillage. Try to avoid high-sugar juices and E-additive sodas-your children will probably be overexcited as it is. If you are driving, take advantage of mealtimes to make a proper stop for everyone, for bathroom trips, rest, and a chance to stretch those limbs. You can be more flexible about what you eat and pack picnic-style food, for example, in an ice-box, with thermos flasks if you don’t plan to eat in diners or cafés along the way.
As meal- and bed-times may be disturbed by traveling, one handy tip is to associate the soothing aroma of lavender with sleep. Put a couple of drops of lavender oil or essence on your children’s pillows when you tuck them up in the run-up to your vacation, and be sure to take some of the magic stuff with you to dab on the blankets when they need to go to sleep on the journey.
Added extras…
You should pack a couple of goody bags to distribute when mid-trip boredom kicks in. These can contain special treats like a chocolate or fruit bar, a new toy or book, or a favorite game or DVD. Extra wrapping can add to the excitement. These bags should be kept in your carry-on luggage, or slipped in as a surprise in your kids’ carry-on bag.
Audio story cassettes or CDs will keep the whole family entertained in the car, and with portable players and headphones, the children can choose what they want on a train or plane-just remember to bring spare batteries. A small bag of notebooks with pencils attached on a string or crayons and paper is a good stand-by for younger children.
For beach vacations, all you need is swimwear, beach towels, spades, and balls to keep kids happy, and in most destinations you should be able to buy these locally at a reasonable price, thus saving precious packing space. To protect the feet, “jellies” or neoprene shoes are advisable for beaches with shingle.
It’s a different story for vacations in the mountains, where it is best to pack the children’s most comfortable walking shoes, rather than breaking in new shoes. Warm clothes for the cool temperatures in the early morning and evening will be required, too, and light daypacks.
Little helpers
Get the children involved in the whole business of traveling and let them pack their own little cases. You can make this fun by telling them to choose just one of their favorite toys or games, or allowing them to fill one small bag only.
Older children might enjoy keeping a log book or travel diary to show their friends, which they can fill with ticket stubs, beer mats, postcards, and other objects they pick up on the way-so don’t forget a stick of non-spill glue or adhesive tape, and safe scissors. A disposable camera or small digital will also help your kids make their own souvenirs.
A new wallet with some of the local money could also be given, to give the children a taste of financial autonomy and a little practice in simple math.
Last-minute planning
This may seem obvious, but leave yourselves plenty of time on the day of departure, and make sure, if booking a cab, to take the traffic into account. Allow for at least an extra 20% time for each step of the journey, from traveling to the airport or station, to checking in, to finding the right gate, to actual boarding: Far better to arrive at the station or airport early and in control than frantic and late-you will communicate your stress to the kids whether you want to or not!
To make your kids more visible-and easier to spot if they go astray-pick out their brightest clothes for the journey, and wear something that will make you stand out in a crowd, too. Failing that, give them little whistles to blow if they get lost.
Your main packing should be done, check-in bags all set to go, and any last minute items ready to slip into your hand luggage. Before you leave, dress your baby in layers that are easy to take off or put on again, according to the temperature in the cabin. Plus you won’t need to change her whole outfit if there’s a spill.
Before boarding, make a visit to the bathroom in the airport, both for you, the kids, and for any diaper changes, so that you don’t spend all your flight time squeezing past other passengers to get in and out of the undersized bathroom on the plane or train.
Surviving the journey
Change your watches together to the time of your destination, if flying across time zones, and get the kids to calculate when lunch time and dinner is there to help them adjust.
On take-off and landing, you can alleviate the discomfort that the sudden change in air pressure can bring by giving your baby a pacifier or a bottle to suck-make sure it’s to hand. Children can have candy to suck, or can drink water or juice to alleviate possible earache.
For younger children, attach a little plastic bag to the seat cover in front to keep their crayons and toys easily accessible, whether the fold-down tray table is in use or not.
Once the initial excitement of settling in and take off is over, and before any in-flight films are shown, a bag of toys and games is invaluable. (It was in your carry-on hand luggage, right?) This may also be the time to rediscover more traditional activities, such as coloring-in books, cards, and, if you have the patience, I-spy…Older children can learn to map read, or start filling in their travel log.
On arrival…
Once you’ve all reached your destination safely, show your children the fire escapes, if they are staying in a separate room from you, and make sure they know who to go to for help in the hotel or resort, introduce them to the reception staff and any designated staff who deal with children. Remind them not to go off with strangers, or to pet any stray animals.
Older children could be given responsibility for keeping the room keys or for sending the family postcards if no internet café is handy for regular updates.
If you’ve crossed a few time zones, make sure everyone gets some sunshine, to speed up the body’s adjustment to the new location. You are now ready to enjoy your vacation!
Back home…
It’s always a good idea to take your kids for a post-trip check-up with your pediatrician, if only for your own peace of mind.
To prolong the feel-good factor, make time to look at your children’s travel logs and souvenirs when you get back. Recreate some food similar to what you tasted together, get out the photos, and have your own Show and Tell session to remember the first of many successful family expeditions.
Further Resources
Discover the secrets seasoned travelers use to find the best airfares…the tricks they use to grab the last remaining seats on a flight or uncover prime hotel vacancies during peak tourist season… with How to Get the Best Deal Every Time You Travel, available from the IL Bookstore: http://www.ilbookstore.com.