Anna: I’ve been looking into accommodation options for our Alaska trip. Short of couch surfing, it’s hotels or bed and breakfasts.
Philip: You don’t fancy camping then?
Anna: I don’t fancy being ripped to shreds by grizzly bears. So, what’ll it be?
Philip: I reckon we push the boat out and splash some cash. Let’s stay somewhere nice.
Anna: OK. In that case how about this one: Minnifield’s Lodge? It’s made in the style of a traditional log cabin. The website blurb says it has ‘rustic charm with modern comfort’, whatever that means. But it has a pool and a sauna, and it isn’t cheap, so it must be good.
Philip: Quite. Sure, that’ll do. Of course, there is another option: the Winnebago.
Anna: A glorified campervan? Good god, no. You know, my grandparents used to take me caravanning every summer when I was a kid. I learnt at any early age not to mix one’s house with one’s car.

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Part 2

Receptionist: Good evening. Welcome to The Master Motel. How may I help you?
Philip: Hi. Is there any chance you have any rooms? There was a mix-up at our hotel and they gave our room away.
Receptionist: Ouch. Yes, we have rooms. Is it just a double you’re after?
Philip: Preferably yes, although at this stage we’ll take anything.
Receptionist: Well, we have one on the first floor, and one on the second floor. Both come in at $32 a night.
Philip: When you say first floor, I guess you mean ground floor. I’m OK with either. Do you have any preference, Pumpkin?
Anna: Whichever’s quietest. I guess the first floor, by which I mean the second floor.
Receptionist: Ah, you’re from across the pond. “Two nations divided by a common language”. Anyway, there’s no sales tax in this borough of Alaska, so the total is $32 if you’re just staying the one night. Here’s your keycard. Towels, water, and all that jazz, are all in the room, but just give me a holler if you need anything or have any questions. It’s not a big place, so I’m receptionist, concierge and maid tonight. The name’s Joel, by the way.
Philip: Well, Joel, tonight you’re also a life-saver. You’ve saved our bacon: no matter how beautiful Alaska is, neither of us fancied a night under the stars. Thanks very much

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Part 3

When it comes to deciding the best hotel I’ve ever encountered, the decision is hard: for many of the best holidays, the hotel merely compliments, rather than dictates, the enjoyment. Of course, novelty hotels – like the Holiday Inn in northern Australia shaped like a giant crocodile – stick in the mind, as do those times when it seems you are the only people in the entire place (indeed, in one hotel I was the only guest). My hotel in Washington, D.C. was a bit worn down, but right on the doorstep of The White House. A good location helps.
The worst hotel I have ever had the misfortune to stay at was a motel in Florida: the air conditioning unit had half-fallen off the wall, a couple of cockroaches greeted us, and it reminded me of the seedy spots shown in TV cop shows, where drug dealers and hookers hide. It was a cheap place, and I know you get what you pay for, but that place was the pits.

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Part 4

It could be said they are just OTT PR stunts, although the hotels in question would undoubtedly say they are simply going the extra mile or separating themselves from the pack; either way, a quick internet search brings up some unusual hotel services.
In Jamaica, The Ritz-Carlton will give you spa treatment, which doesn’t sound so exclusive until one realizes they use condensed milk and orange juice for some of the baths. Meanwhile, The Night and Times Hotel in New York offers an ‘I Hate Valentine’s Day’ service for guests unlucky enough to be alone and on the road for February 14th; the package includes a big tub of ice-cream, some sad movies, and a table for one in a fancy restaurant. Whilst not exactly a controllable ‘service’ , Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, Kenya, has a family of giraffes living on the grounds. The giraffes have long since become accustomed to human life, and will pop their heads through doors that have been left open. Finally, The Andaz Hyatt on Liverpool Street, London made headlines by having staff come to your room and read bedtime stories (if requested, of course) for a two week period in 2008.
Of course, a hotel not having a service doesn’t stop guests from requesting it: from delivering meals to planes just before take-off, to finding a temporary home for a pet tiger, there is a world of weird travel out there.

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Shop Assistant: Good afternoon. Can I help you?
Anne: I’m just looking.
Shop Assistant: Ok. If there is anything I can help you with, just give me a shout.
(later)
Anne: Excuse me, could you tell me how much these shirts are?
Shop Assistant: Certainly. They’re actually on sale at the moment – 25% off – so ₤22.50, down from ₤30.
Anne: I see. Are those the only colours you have?
Shop Assistant: I’m afraid so. What sort of shade are you looking for?
Anne: Something a little less garish: these are all a tad bright for my taste.
Shop Assistant: Well, this is the summer line. I’m afraid bright colours are all the rage at the moment.
Anne: I guess I’m not ‘with it’. I suppose I’ll have to come back when the fall collection is in.

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Part 2

Tailor: Can I help you with anything?
Dave: Yes, I understand you do tailor-made clothes. I’m looking to get a coat made.
Tailor: Ok. Do you have any idea what sort of style you’re after?
Dave: Something relatively smart. I was thinking of a ¾ length cashmere number.
Tailor: Right. Well, we have an extensive range of cashmere coats and fits, so why don’t you have a look in our catalogue and see if anything jumps out at you.
(a little later)
Dave: Hi. Yes, I think something akin to this.
Tailor: Very good. What grade of fabric would you like?
Dave: I have no idea. What’s the difference?
Tailor: This is the sample book. The first page is the highest quality, the second is the next…you get the picture. Most people opt for 1 or 2. And I’ll need to take your measurements, if that’s alright.
Dave: Of course, although I’ve put on a bit of weight recently.
Tailor: No problem: a good tailor’s job is to hide that.

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Part 3

Some different clothing styles:

Retro: Dressing in a fashion from the past, such as the 1950s
Thrift store chic: Cheap clothes turned into a style for rich people
Androgynous chic: could be either gender, but usually women’s clothes that look like men’s
Skater chic: based on skateboard fashions: baggy clothes, skateboard brand names
Hip hop: baggy, often using basketball vests, branded baseball caps, and over-the-top ‘bling’
Understated: not wanting to draw too much attention. Dark colours, not showing much flesh
Power dressing: dressing like a company executive
Ethnic: dressing in clothes particular to an ethnic group
Scruffy: Just-got-out-of-bed look. ‘Bed head’, unshaven, un-ironed clothes.
Goth: lots of black, often including dark make-up.
Cosplay: ‘Costume’ + ‘play’. Dressing like a cartoon character.

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Part 4

Most people don’t consider themselves to be fashion gurus, but looking good can help build confidence. It is no coincidence that makeover shows are so popular. Avoiding ‘mistakes’ such as looking ‘frumpy’, ‘mutton dressed as lamb’, or being just another face in the crowd are all major worries.
One of the most common worries people generally have with clothes is the worry of trying too hard or going for overkill. This is understandable as the majority of the populous is not blessed with movie star looks – chiseled cheekbones, perfect symmetry, a well-toned body – and do not have a stylist to aid them in their selections. Getting it wrong can be a faux pas. Yet simplicity does not have to mean boring if one can pick a piece. Indeed, whilst some icons are trendsetters, many of the world’s most stylish people make use of ‘classic looks’.
There are some ways to tell which clothes will both look fashionable and survive the test of time (versus those that will fall apart): the quality of stitching, the fabric, and how well buttons etc are attached are all indicators of how much effort went into the design and creation process. Colour coordination is also important, as is being true to who you are as a person: if you are a modest person by nature, there is no need to be outlandish. Know who you are, be comfortable with it, and pick the best pieces you can.

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Anne: Hi, I’d like to change some money please.
Teller: Sure. What currencies would you like to change?
Anne: US Dollars into Euros, if I could.
Teller: Of course. How many dollars would you like to exchange?
Anne: 1000.
Teller: Right, let’s see. The current exchange rate is 76.5 euro cents to the dollar, so $1000 comes to €765.
Anne: Could you give me some small notes in that?
Teller: No problem. (counting money) So, here is 5 hundreds, 3 fifties – making 650 – 3 twenties , making 710, 4 tens which brings us to 750, and 3 fives. Check that, and can I help you with anything else?
Anne: No, that’s all, thanks.

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Part 2

Philip: Hi there. Can I cash travellers’ cheques here?
Teller: Sure. How much do you have, and what currency would you like it paid in?
Philip: I’ve $500. Can I get sterling please? And can I get some small bills in that?
Teller: Sure. Now, we’re buying at 61p to the dollar, so $500 comes to ₤308.81. I’ll include a hundred in tens and twenties for you (counts out money). And can I do anything else for you?
Philip: Yeah, I was wondering whether I could also pick up some Korean Won.
Teller: We don’t have any won on site at the moment, but we can order some in for you. It’ll take about a week.
Philip: I was hoping to get it sooner.
Teller: OK, well there is a bureau de change downtown on the corner of Kings Street and Woodhead Street. They usually hold a larger variety of currency. You can ask there.
Philip: Right, I’ll give them a go. Thanks for your help.

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Part 3

For several years I have collected currencies from around the world. My favourites are currencies that do not exist anymore – German Marks, Greek Drachma – and currencies from very small countries. I also like unusual money: Japanese coins with holes in the middle, and Irish notes that feel like plastic. Older coins and notes are also interesting because I like to see how the different designs have changed.
Sometimes the Royal Mint in the UK, or the United States Mint in America, make collectors coins for special occasions, although I don’t think these are so exciting; after all, the thrill of collecting is to find things by one’s self, not be told to collect. That said, I do have a commemorative ‘Jackie Robinson $5’, which I have heard may be worth some money.

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Part 4

In today’s frenzied financial market, currency rates may look like just another fluctuating number; however, if one looks at currency rates over a longer period of time, they become clear signs of a country’s financial strength.
In the early 20th century, when the British Empire was strong, the pound equated to nearly $5; by the beginning of the 21st century, it was only just over $1.5. China’s strong economy in the early 21st century has moved it from 15rmb to the pound to 10rmb to the pound in a decade (interestingly, until opening in the 1980s, China simply decided its own currency rate – usually around 2rmb or 3rmb to the dollar).
Sudden currency changes, however, can be a disaster. Germany’s economy, famously, went into meltdown after WW1 when it was bankrupt but still had to pay ‘reparations’ to the winners of the war: from 8.91 Marks to the Dollar in 1918, it was 320 by the start of 1922, 800 by the end of the same year, and (after countries began taking German goods, not money) 1 trillion by the end of 1923. A glass of beer cost 4 billion marks. Money was so useless that people used it for wallpaper. Zimbabwe had even bigger hyperinflation in 2008: by October $1US equaled over $Z2.5b. When, in November, inflation went up another sextillion percent, Zimbabwe, like Germany, abandoned the currency.

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Travel Agent: Good afternoon, how can I be of assistance?
Dave: Hi, yeah. I’d like to book a flight to Honolulu, leaving next Tuesday.
Travel Agent: Certainly. One-way, or return?
Dave: Return please. Coming back the following Wednesday.
Travel Agent: Ok. We have one leaving at 3 45pm, via Tokyo, arriving in Honolulu at 7 15am local time on Tuesday morning.
Dave: That sounds fine. And the return?
Travel Agent: Let me have a look. Right, there is one departing Honolulu at 10 26am on Wednesday, again through Tokyo, arriving back at 4 10pm Thursday.
Dave: So I lose over a day traveling? Anyway, that’s fine. How much is it?
Travel Agent: It’s 8200rmb for economy, and 17450 for business. Those include tax and surplus charges.
Dave: Credit card OK?
Travel Agent: That’ll do nicely.

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Part 2

Anna: Hi. I’m in a hurry. I need the next flight out of here to Moscow.
Ticket Agent: Let me see. The next flight is at 2 45, but it’s fully booked. After that, we have one via Dubai, departing at 4 08.
Anna: Any chance of getting on the 2 45?
Ticket Agent: I can put you on stand-by.
Anna: That would be great, thanks.
Ticket Agent: And I’ll book you on the 4 08.
Anna: Do I have to pay for two tickets?
Ticket Agent: No. Basically I book you on the 4 08, but you go on the stand-by list for the 2 45. It’s the same ticket.
Anna: Ok. Thank you. You’re a life saver.

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Part 3

Nobody likes the middle seat on a plane. Sitting on a long-haul flight, stuck in the middle seat, is like being in the middle of a people sandwich for half a day. There isn’t the view one gets from the window seat, and there isn’t the freedom to move given by the aisle seat. You can’t lean against the wall and sleep, and you can’t stretch your legs. For the whole flight your elbows hit against people on both sides. It sucks.

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Part 4

Air tickets, generally, work on a supply-and-demand system. Once they go on sale (usually a little under a year before the departure date) the price changes depending on availability: this means it gets more expensive as more seats are bought, and then suddenly very cheap if the plane is not fully booked (the internet, however, has killed the stand-by ticket market – it is now easier for airlines to sell discount tickets through popular last-minute travel websites, so it makes no sense to sell them at the airport). Tickets to popular destinations, during peak season, or at certain times of day all cost more because the air carrier knows there is a demand. It is often cheaper to have a stopover in an itinerary than to fly direct because this involves two less popular routes rather than one in high demand.
The computer system that controls flight bookings works on two levels: the first is the Airline Reservation System (ARS), and the second is either a Global Distribution System (GDS), or a Regional Distribution System (RDS). The ARS contains information about the flight including the schedule, available seats, prices, and a Passenger Name Record (PNR –name, passport data, etc.). This information, and information on thousands of other flights, is then sent to the GDS or RDS, where travel agents and customers compare and buy tickets. The ARS is updated in real time. Before a flight the passenger details are moved to the Departure Control System, where passengers are checked as either ‘no shows’ or ‘go shows’, and then to the administrative and financial services.
Whilst airlines helped set up ARS and GDS, now these are companies in themselves with billions of dollars passing through them. GDS travel services have expanded to also include hotels, car rental, travel insurance, tour operators, and more, making them ‘one stop shops’ for 21st century travelers.

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