Tourist
Advice: Thank you for not coming
With
the advent of cheaper airfares across the world, there has been an explosion in
tourism, an added factor being the throngs of the Chinese now able to travel as
the other middle class in developing countries join them.
Lately
there has been news that certain countries, mainly Thailand and Philippines are
considering giving some of their beach resorts “a holiday from the tourists”,
Boracay now is closed for tourists in Philippines, affecting flights to Kalibo.
For
people who have been perennially travelling, these mass temporary migrations of
tourists have only brought on headaches. I am so glad they are travelling but
they are also ruining a lot and leave a trail of trash, plastic bottles and
destruction while they return to their homelands. I am certain that the
majority of the tourists from India or China have no thoughts about the
destruction caused by their weight (it is becoming literally too, as both
Chinese and Indians are becoming fat).
I
can only write about how this has affected me personally. I will concentrate on
the city that I “live” in and also the airports and flights and airfares.
(at home in Havana, Cuba)
Havana
Cuba used to get relatively small number of tourists until Americans were
allowed to come (don’t get me wrong, they are welcome). American government
usually vitriolic in their pronouncements about their humble neighbor, did not
stop cruise ships or flights proliferating while thundering propaganda put fear
into Americans coming to the island.
Cruise
ships that were a rare sight before the Americans began appearing at the
legendary wharf of Havana on a regular basis as berthed whales taking a break
while 4000 tourists were put down for few hours to wander through the oldest of
the Spanish colonial cities of the continent, 500 years. On occasions there
would be two cruise ships and the trouble is doubled.
I
no longer venture into Old Havana where the majority of the tourists congregate
while the enterprising Cubans hover over them like a skulk of foxes, sucking
the last of the dollar possible.
When
foreigners are visiting me, on their first visit, I may take them for a short
visit to the Old Havana area, and point out the relevant architectural or
historic gems but spirit them away to the tranquility of other Havana sights,
spared of the selfie-mad crowd.
On
their second visit, I will not go or encourage my friends to go to the
following sites:
Old
Havana
Vinales
full of tourist traps including people dressed as Indians
Varadero,
beautiful beach but with the usual tourist traps
Trinidad,
a colonial town now a colossal thief
Cuba
is a large island with thousands of little gems of villages and natural sites,
but tourists like the doomed moths attracted to light, gather at these very
same sites, to the glee of my cunning Cuban brothers and sisters.
(Minnesota Mon Amour)
May
May Beach in Thailand receive 4000 visitors a day, the attraction? De Caprio was
there? Is that a reason for such a deluge?
Many
of the beach resorts in Thailand are in danger of overcrowding and I advise you
to avoid them. Phuket Pattaya Hoi An anything starting with KO, cities where
the main airlines flying into are Low Cost ones such as Larnaca in Cyprus… my
own prejudices I suppose.
(an occasional cigar with my american indian friends)
In
the rich countries the places in danger are fragile places like Venice or Florence.
One
list that I keenly follow is any that begins with:
Ten
Best places to visit in 2018
Lonely
Planets List of places to visit
Must
see places
And
then carefully avoid them
Fortunately
my favourite places are in no danger of being over run by tourists because of
lack of interest or budget such as Rapa Nui (I wish the Chileans wont come and
stay but go home to their country!), parts of South America such as the Amazon
River basin and of course I have Cuba with its private places.
(staff at Bristow's Bistro Fort Cochin)
Fort
Cochin is not going to be overcrowded, would be nice if the Kashmiri Muslims
would pack their pashminas and leave. Even Malaysia is not crowded with
tourists and is one of the best places to visit in SE Asia. India and Indonesia
are both too crowded for me and I know that Japan would always welcome me.
Whenever
someone says OFF THE BEATEN TRACK, you know they are innocent buyers of some
Lonely Planet propaganda. You don’t have to search for the track OFF; the track
is very close to where you are.
In
Havana, we say, you can walk along the streets and miss every thing if you
don’t keep your eyes open, because Life is happening right in front of you.
Enough
of ranting and raving!
(my favourite seat 1K on Qatar Airways)
Flying
to get to places has become easier but the comfort level has decreased. The old
mantra is extricating yourself from the crowds: find ways of flying comfortably
and ensconce yourself in lounges at airports.
My
favourite airline without doubt is Qatar Airways and the Lounges that I enjoy
on a regular basis are, in no particular order
Al
Mourjan Lounge Doha
Flagship
Lounge MIA JFK ORD DFW
Centurion
Lounge MIA SFO PHL
I
am happy to be in a Lounge at an airport whether Bogota or Brussels (Latam in
Bogota and Brussels Airlines Lounge in Bruselas)
Lately
I have come to enjoy hotels and sometimes some of them have become destinations
to relax, it is nice to be pampered by staff that you have known for a while.
Bristow
Bungalow Fort Cochin
Double
Tree by Hilton in KL
Beyond
Yangon in Siem Reap
Amazon
BnB in Leticia, Colombia
This photo of Hotel Amazon Bed & Breakfast is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Marriott
Marquis in Doha
(Guest Relations Manager at Marriott Marquis)
(view from the Executive Lounge at Hilton Hotel in Doha)
In
2007 I had published even though it was written a decade earlier about Maqroll
El Gaviero Judio the vagrant Jew
On receiving a note from the
Malabar coast that home of an aging Jew was about to be passed on to him, he
imagined himself ensconced there, waited on by thin Malabari Moslems who
questioned their faith, with his traveling companion, the Prince of Palms and
the little girl who loved him so much that she continually adoringly attached
herself to other lovers in faraway lands she dreamt of visiting with him.
Making vagrancy a profession young people all over the world could aspire to,
he plans to convert the 700 year old synagogue, when it is not in use, of
course, into a Museum of Vagrant Peoples where others may find refuge from the
restriction imposed upon them by their fear of being alive
(sleeping on my way to Narita)
Yes
my aspiration in life seems to have come to fruition
Now
ensconced in various lounges and aircraft cabins around the world, learning a
taste for Champagne as well as Teh Tahrek, I have settled into a peripatetic
life of vagrancy
I
have no home
But
I have rooms in the hearts of many people around the world.
Tourists
are not among of those People
Qatar Airways is my favourite airline, with friendliest cabin crews from around the world, she is from South Korea.
dear friends
I am enjoying SLOW TRAVEL ..no agenda no itineraries and no destination either..
I will leave in KL in a couple of days, I think?
