BlogHer - tourism - Comments

Ah, thanks! I cried so hard I laughed! Or something like that!

KateSavage — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:08:25 -0500

And you're very right, by the way. The trips I've done that didn't go wrong SOMEHOW, well, I don't really remember them. Granted, I very nearly lost my mind this day!

All Over the Place (Montreal)

Awesome story!

nannygoats — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:01:27 -0500

I don't want to repeat myself over here...I left a comment on your home blog.

But I do love that picture...very funny.

Margaret

Nanny Goats In Panties (www.nannygoatsinpanties.com)

In, out, no difference

kimba — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:49:47 -0500

In, out, no difference really. When a lockdown happens, it happens in both directions. I understand what you are reporting is about folks being kept out or made to hand over personal information to get in, but even as one of the clips you posted said, this may backfire for us travelers because other countries may retaliate by making it difficult for us to visit them. It's a kind of passive aggressive act on the part of our gov't if that's the way it works, don't you think?

I'm not paranoid! ;)

Just coz you're paranoid

Pam — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:32:18 -0500

You know the saying, right?

But Kimba, in this case, it's about people getting IN, not out. I do feel that there's something insidious in the politics of fear and inconvenience, after all, it's just a little web form, just a little data, just a little if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear thinking.

I do think that we have to continue to exercise our rights, travel being one of them, and capitulating to rules without asking questions means that creeping fascism isn't just our gov'ts fault, it's our own, too.

And Crunchy, if that's a true story, I'd like to see links. Yup, I sure would. Because equally troublesome is the idea that people are SAYING what's happening on the borders again, out of fear.

Nerd's Eye View

my dh heard too that customs guys were

Crunchy Carpets — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:07:13 -0500

confiscating people's MP3 players and iPods in case us criminal Canadians were listening to illegally downloaded music on our vacations to the US.

Look for me at http://crunchycarpets.com or check out the ladies at www.wetcoastwomen.com

Conspiracy Theory ...

kimba — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:39:44 -0500

My imagination is just too active some would say - but ever since the last election, I've been waiting for the other shoe to fall.

I've had this suspicion that somehow our country would be going into lockdown. And even though I imagined that one day we would wake up and all of a sudden we wouldn't be able to leave, I think on some level the whole workings of the economy, airlines, oil prices, walls being built on the border, and Homeland Security shenanigans are somehow accomplishing this without stinking of a master plan.

Call me crazy, I expect you to.

There's a Department of Homeland Security Blog?

jebut071 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:03:27 -0500

Seriously?

Love,
Jenny

http://www.bloggingforjesus.net

Also, economics

Suzanne Reisman — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:30:29 -0500

Plus, it's not like Europeans and other people with stronger economies and monies are coming here and propping up our cities or anything like that. Let's just be sure that they can't contribute to our local economies. That'll show 'em!

Suzanne Reisman, Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants

Horrible, bad, stupid, idiotic, moronic, foolish, insane...

Suzanne Reisman — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:29:11 -0500

Need I go on? What a dumb idea. How shocking from this administration, which seems to go out of its way to make people hate Americans.

Suzanne Reisman, Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants

Lonnnnger lines, more disappointments at Customs

KateSavage — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:55:22 -0500

I was wondering how long it would be actually (because I'm Canadian), before I would be photographed and fingerprinted like my fellow travellers, (en route from far and near reaches of the earth), because as a non-resident of the U.S. I often find myself lining up in lonnnnnnnng, lonnnnnnnnnnng, lonnnnnnnnng processing lines at airports - occasionally missing connecting flights because of the delay.

And, now, the prospect of pre-registration (and all possible complications involved) for some of these travellers...

I'm not sure this is the solution to whatever problem is intended to be solved here, but I do know, the thought of it is making my feet hurt hurt already!

All Over the Place - travel, dating and other mistakes

No place is frozen in time

Suzanne Reisman — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:55:55 -0500

Until I read this, I hadn't thought about how utterly colonial the idea of lamenting how things change in remote lands truly is. Not that I love the rapid changes that are taking place, either, but as you say, everything changes over time. Why on earth should Western travelers expect a place to remain exactly as it is so a few hardy souls can oooh and aaah over its timelessness? Pretty offensive concept.

Take the idea of lamenting change out of the context of adventure travel, though, and I think its a perfectly human response. I know I am always griping about the changes my neighborhood is undergoing (from gentrification - bad enough - to luxurification). We always want to look back on how things were and idealize them. However, I think when we throw in cultural differences and a sense of superiority (whether over other cultures or other types of travelers) that it takes on an objectionable tone.

Thanks for the interesting piece.

Suzanne Reisman, Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

And yet, we keep going back to Italy

Pam — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:40:21 -0500

Because in spite of the dirty trains, the weird station signs that lead you to nowhere, the lousy service,the uncertainty of it all, in spite of all that, god, we love Italy. So much.

Nerd's Eye View