Word for the Travel Wise (04/06/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Russian is the kind of language that
when looking at it even in the comfort of my own desk chair, in my room here in America, makes me feel a long way from
home. Just when you think you’ve recognized or made sense of a word or two a mutant-alienish letter like the backwards
‘n‘, upside down ‘g‘ or ‘y‘ with an underline underneath works their magic in keeping you
completely confused. It’s okay. We will both work through this together.

Today’s word is a Russian word used in Russia:

pronounced shak-zah-chniy  – means
fairy-tale; fabulous, incredible

Just say it okay! If you want to see what the word looks like
you’ll have to visit the archives here. If you can pull using this
word in a complete Russian sentence off, I’ll gladly pay for your RT airfare to Moscow. Okay, I lie. Any English as a
first language speaker talking fluidly and fluently in Russian is fabulous and incredible indeed, but me paying for the
round-trip airfare is an absolute fairy-tale folks. My apologies for teasing.

Ready to learn Russian? Check
out Master Russian first. They have numerous excellent sound files and the text
is clear and easy to read. Learning also goes beyond your Russian A, B, C’s at their site as they have crosswords,
literature, proverbs, folk music, and homework help. Other good sites include Learning Russian and this Ectaco
Translation Dictionary. Click here for two language book
rec’s on Amazon. BBC has the basics to
download and hear audio, while Wiki provies the in depth
Russian lang back history.

Past Russian words:

Travel Innovators at T&L

by Erik Olsen on

Here’s one for travel buffs who are eager to know more about the folks behind the world of travel and tourism. I
didn’t think I’d find this very interesting when I first stumbled upon it over at Travel and Leisure, but I spent some time with it and
think it’s rather cool. The list here of those who are "changing the way you travel in the 21st century"
lists 35 innovators, a wide range of people who’s ideas are having amajor impact on the world of travel.

It’s an impressive group, from the guy who had the brilliant idea that it would be good to provide people with more legroom on airplane flights, to how
we’re going to all be checking email
at 35,00 feet, to a scientist who
developed a non-addictive sleeping pill, and the guys who pioneered building luxury
hotels in unorthodox destinations (about which we’ve blogged several times), it
really is a fascinating look at folks who, in some small (or large) way, affect each of us as we travel.

Word for the Travel Wise (04/05/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

With Erik blogging earlier about paddling in Iran I felt compelled to create another Farsi
lesson for today’s course. For one, many people will probably frown on the idea of paddling Iran, thinking they’ll
stick to waters in safer countries. Secondly, this is my own opinion, but the Persian lang is something we can never
get enough of – a little French, a little Arabic and a whole lot more Parsi equals the perfect blend for a beautiful
language.

Today’s word is a Farsi (Persian) word
used in Iran:

kheyli golabi – (very pear) a piece
of cake, a cake walk, something very easy to do, no sweat involved

Kheyli in Farsi
means very and golabi means pear. The expression as a whole means something similar to being a piece of cake.
I’m sure paddling the white water of the Sezar River, let alone telling your friends you’re going to what is considered
one of the axis of evil to do it is no easy task. Then again, if you’ve made your mind up to do it already telling your
friends and family should be a cake walk or kheyli golabi.

Excellent sites for learning Persian
online include a personal favorite called Easy Persian and Farhangsara. Both sites have an excellent beginner’s guide into the
language and use images, sound and music to assist you in the process. Check out Lonely Planet’s Farsi
(Persian) Phrasebook for a shorthand guide at the ancient lingo.

Past
Farsi words: be salamati, toot farangee

Paddling Iran

by Erik Olsen on

Of all the places you thought you might paddle
some day, I’ll bet Iran never made the list. Well, maybe it should have. The adventuresome Becky Bristow heads to this axis of
evil  to try out the bouldery rapids of the Sezar River. The story here is filled with interesting little cultural
anecdotes the likes of which you’re unlikely to find in a story about, say, paddling in Wyoming. To wit: almost as soon
as Ms. Bristow gets out of her boat, the locals swathe her head in a scarf, lest all that uncovered hair stir the
longings and unravel the turbans of the local tribesmen. The group described here hits some sweet Class IVs, and
overall make the paddling in Iran seem pretty darn inviting.

HotelChatter on Keeping Valuables Safe

by Adrienne Wilson on

If too many episodes of Dateline’s bizarre hotel scandals revealed have got you buggin’ out every
time you see the maid or terrified that room service is going to swipe your swim trunks and shower shoes in broad
daylight you could be right. Chances are they won’t, but every now and again they do. Luckily some of us have been
fortunate enough to rely only on luggage locks to secure our
things while we’re away playing tourist in peace. Others, who haven’t been as blessed or the extremely paranoid may wish
to take measures further by investing in the Wireless Briefcase Monitor. HotelChatter does a fine job
breaking down how the handy protection device works in alerting you when crooked-sticky-fingered staff get tempted to
touch. 

The other suggestions mentioned are
fairly well-known like, utilizing the room safe, front desk safes and make-shift disguises (half-empty tampon boxes for
passports, etc.) are all included. However, it’s still a pretty good refresher on making sure your very basic things,
even dirty laundry stay put. Check it out before you check in.