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Copyright Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved. For more information, call (305) 453-4781 or send e-mail to us.

ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
http://www.elliott.org

June 6, 2004

Special Double Issue

>> Inside <<

* You Did It
* Question of the Week: Ever Traveled Around the World?
* Kudos to Our Corporate Underwriters
* Why the Double Issue?
* This Week in Travel
* Finding Information on the Fly
* A Battle for Independence
* Don't Blimp Out
* Network Airlines: Not Dead Yet
* Rodney the Rat
* 'Just Making Conversation'
* Flashback: Gone to the Dogs
* Pets on Planes
* In the Doghouse
* Why Puppies Still Rule on the Plane
* Doggone Sun Valley

>> First Off <<

** You Did It
Our May fundraiser broke all records, thanks to your generous support! What's more, a majority of new subscribers received a premium plus a bonus - meaning it exceeded almost everyone's expectations. A special congratulations to Robert Johnson, Lyn Owens, Peter Reilly, Ellen Karaffa-Taylor and Steven Gosset, who won the the Travelpro luggage. And to Regina Rivera, winner of the Hilton weekend. Thank you, again, for all of your help. And here's a promise: no more pitches until October.

>> Underwritten By <<

** edate.com
Where online dating meets travel. With the explosive popularity of online dating including a state of the art dating site, edate.com has teamed up with some of the world's largest travel partners to give away fantastic monthly trips and offer its members great travel deals, tips and more. Thousands of members can hook up in their own town or in some exotic locale. Check it out.

>> By The Way <<

** Question of the Week: Ever Traveled Around the World?
Have you ever circled the globe? This week, we're looking for anyone who has either taken a trip around the world recently (or, if you're a travel agent, booked someone on a round-the-world trip). We need your tips, advice and experiences for an upcoming story on the subject.Send us an e-mail and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living. Remember, your story could mean free luggage. It did for Robert Johnson, our May winner.

> Trying to e-mail me? Please read this first.

** Kudos to Our Corporate Underwriters
Last month's fundraiser wouldn't have been possible without the generous support of our corporate underwriters. So take a bow, folks: EasyTravelAir, Dream of Italy, Bonjour Paris, The Business Travel Almanac, The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel, Travelpro, Hilton, Kneedefender, Business Travel: When It's Your Money, and ProTravelGear.com. The companies, authors and publishers had the foresight - and the guts - to support a newsletter that's on the side of you, the traveler. And for that they deserve our business.

** Why the Double Issue?
They say moving is the second-most stressful event in a person's life. If that's' true, then our relocation to Orlando was disturbingly average. That's why we missed last week's newsletter and have published what we euphemistically call a "double" issue this week. (Actually, it's bigger than usual, so technically, it is a double issue.) Remember, we now have a new address:

760 Sybilwood Circle
Winter Springs, FL 32708-3735
(407) 699-9529

If you live in the Orlando area, don't be a stranger. Come on by and say "hi."

>> This Week in Travel <<

News, opinion and analysis from Elliott's Travel Notes.

> Norwalk Virus Strikes Alaskan Cruise (6/4)

> Binghamton Struggles With Hotel Tax (6/3)

> Air Travelers Face Long Summer Wait (6/2)

> Hotels Get Pushy About 'Rewards' (6/1)

> Record Gas Prices Greet Travelers (5/27)

> Bedbug-Bitten Attendant Sues Hotel (5/26)

> Virgin USA to Take Off Next Year (5/25)

> Paris Airport Collapse Kills Four (5/24)

> See archived blog postings or catch up on today's news.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** FirstClassFlyer.com
Fly first class for less than what others pay for coach? Looking for free and purchased upgrades, 2-for-1s, advanced ticketing techniques, and a fast-track to elite status strategies? Look no further ... these hot deals and more are available at First Class Flyer's Web site.

>> On Elliott.org <<

** Finding Information on the Fly
Locating information on a laptop PC can be a pain. But tracking it down while you're on the road - between sales meetings, on a plane or at a client's office - can double the suffering, to hear businesspeople like John Mangiagli talk about it. Mangiagli, a senior technical service engineer for a machine-parts company in Painted Post, N.Y., frequently struggles to pinpoint the location of a file or e-mail while he's away on business. "But there are rules you have to follow, and if you know them, it can make finding the data relatively painless," he says. There is much agony in finding information on the fly, to be sure. > Details in Power Trip.

>> On Ticked.com <<

** A Battle for Independence
America's East Coast is basking in the glow of low-cost airlines - and enjoying low fares. Flying from New England to Florida and across the country has never been so affordable. Thank you Southwest, jetBlue, ATA, Airtran and now Independence Air. If the majors had their way, flights between the Boston area and Philadelphia would still be hovering around $800+ for walk-up tickets. New York-to-Miami would be more than $1,000 and Washington to the West Coast would be astronomical. All the while the majors - American, Delta, Continental, Northwest, United and US Airways - would be crowing about their service. > Read more in Charles Leocha's column.

** Don't Blimp Out
Memorial Day traditionally marks the beginning of the summer travel season. With the Centers for Disease Control reporting that nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, this season is likely to find more travelers packing more pounds than ever. Many people even expect to gain weight while traveling, not because they want to but because they have no guidance on how to prevent it. To help you avoid returning home heavier than when you left - and in a shameless plug for my book The Complete Travel Diet - I offer up the following five tips. > Read more in Err Travel.

>> On Travelcomment.com <<

** Network Airlines: Not Dead Yet
Open any major newspaper, listen to any financial report, or read any number of Web sites offering travel advice and you'll be sure to hear about the demise of the major network air-carriers. For years, travel pundits have proclaimed that the economy airlines (Southwest, JetBlue, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, and Independence Air) are the Darwinian equivalent of natural selection. Well, it is time to call a spade a spade. > In Joel Widzer's column.

** Rodney the Rat
There are always stories of stowaway cats that circle the globe, or the dog that escapes when transiting the Fiji Islands. My story is of a different animal: a rat. Many Pan Am flight attendants knew him as Rodney the Rat. When Pan Am was still flying, they had different names for every aircraft painted on the nose, such as: Clipper Mermaid, China Clipper, and Clipper Empress of the Sea. Rodney lived aboard Clipper Unity. To be more specific, he lived in first class. > In James Wysong's column.

>> On Triprights.com <<

** 'Just Making Conversation'
When you rent a car, you expect the agent handing you the keys to ask a few questions - like, "Do you need insurance?" and, "Where will you be staying while you're in town?" But what happens when the questions start becoming more intrusive? That's what one traveler wants to know when the queries from a Hertz agent get a little personal. Did the employee step across a line - or just do a thorough job? Find out what to do when a car-rental employee goes too far, and see how Hertz handled this case. > In Fix My Trip.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Toursaver.com
Free Alaska travel for companions! Everything in the "Great Alaskan TourSaver" is free or 2-for-1. Frommer's says: "An essential money-saving resource for Alaska travelers." Cruise boats, railroads, attractions, flightseeing, whale-watching, hotels, car rental companies and cultural trips all two-for-one. Just $99.95. Read Frommer's review, learn more.

>> Flashback: Gone to the Dogs <<
Pets on planes (particularly dogs) is as controversial a topic as I've ever covered. Here's a collection of columns - some level-headed, others outrageous - about what happens when Fido takes to the skies. Or hits the road.

** Pets on Planes
Tyler likes to travel. Cecily doesn't. But the long-haired cats didn't have a choice in the matter when their owner, Carol Cassara, took a trip from San Francisco to Miami recently: The felines were flying along. Cassara, a consultant now based in Tampa, Fla., sought the advice of a veterinarian before boarding. The animal doctor prescribed Valium for the kitties, but warned that there was a chance of an "adverse reaction." "On the flight, Cecily got more and more agitated, turning desperately around and around in her carrier, until it was clear that this was the adverse reaction the vet told us about," Cassara remembers. The cat managed to squeeze out of her cage. "We went up and down the aisles, as passengers watched," says Cassara. "It was like a tennis match." > In The Travel Critic.

** In the Doghouse
Last week's column suggesting that most pets don't belong in aircraft cabins brought out the animal in some of you. My mailbox overflowed with more than 3,000 (mostly irate) e-mails. And more than 80 percent of the 12,361 poll respondents said limiting animals was a bad idea. "I believe that pets have every right to travel with their owners," one reader shot back. "How would you like to be stuck in the cargo hold of the plane in the heat or cold?" > In The Travel Critic.

** Why Puppies Still Rule on the Plane
I recently flew from Newark to San Francisco on United Airlines. About three hours into the flight my eyes became puffy and my nose started running. I was seated in the third row of first class. I asked the flight attendant if there were any animals on board. She checked the manifest and, lo and behold, there was a cat in seat 28F. I was able to improve the symptoms with a dose of antihistamine and some other medication I carry. The response I got from United is, "Let's move you away from the animal." > In The Travel Troubleshooter (Ask Chris).

** Doggone Sun Valley
Welcome to the most dog-friendly resort in America. Canines are a central part of this former mining town known for its celebrity sightings and isolated beauty. "Sun Valley knows how important our canine friends are to us," says Steve Giordano, author of The Dog Lover's Companion to Seattle. "Seems like water bowls are everywhere, at restaurants and construction sites alike. Some shops even hand out dog biscuits." > In Not2Far.com.

>> Even More Underwriters <<

** Journeyware.com
The new destination for exceptional luggage, business/tech cases and travel accessories from leading brands like Travelpro, Lewis N. Clark, RoadWired and more. Great prices, fast, free UPS ground shipping on orders of just $50 or more! All with a level of uncompromising, personal service that you might not be used to getting these days (especially if you are a frequent traveler). Enter coupon code ELLIOTT and click "update" at checkout for an additional 10% off any order.

** Bonjour Paris
France has recently come under a lot of fire. Access Bonjour Paris if you're interested in the pros and cons about travel to France. Bonjour Paris is the best content site about France and is not afraid of controversy. With focus on hotel and apartment reviews, consumer reporting, plus tons of articles, Bonjour Paris is the best on-line resource about tout La Belle France. > Click here for more information.

** EasyTravelAir
The must-have travel accessory If you've fumbled with your ID while taking off your shoes and coat, emptying your pockets, and removing your computer, you'll find getting through airport security a lot simpler and less stressful with the Security Pouch. Purchase the travel-warrior-tested Security Pouch online special only $10 or call (800) 282-1469 to order at $14.99 each. Order now.

** ProTravelGear.com
The new SearchAlert re-settable combination padlock from Outside The Box offers unique innovations in luggage security. SearchAlert may be opened with an override device controlled by Transportation Security Administration agents. No SearchAlert lock should be cut off by TSA agents. In fact, we offer a free replacement if it's ever cut off. SearchAlert features a Security Window which changes color from Green to Red when any override device is used. $9.99 each or two for $17.98 Available exclusively online. Enter coupon code: ELLIOTT for a discount. Click here to order.

>> Who's Reading Elliott's E-Mail? <<

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 23,976
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 47,311
Ticked.com - 28,554
Triprights.com - 10,289
Not2far.com - 2,288
Travelcomment.com - 4,116
Total E3 Network visitors - 92,558

>> Talk To Us <<

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Here's how to reach Elliott.

760 Sybilwood Circle
Winter Springs, FL 32708-3735
(407) 699-9529 or e-mail

(Please note: Unless you specify otherwise, all e-mails, letters and phone conversations are considered "on the record." That means your name could be used in a future article.)

>> Become an Underwriter <<

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