Thomas Cook?

The oldest travel agency in the world has shut down, and quite suddenly.

Vacationers around the world are struggling to find a way home.  Future travelers have unpaid reservations.

Brexit may be one factor, but given that mess, I don't want to speculate how.  (That subject can compared to our own headaches in the states!)

I'd say it is the general decline for the need to use a travel agent when many vacationers can simply book air, hotel and car on the web. 

After all, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports:

"Employment of travel agents is projected to decline 6 percent from 2018 to 2028. The ability of travelers to use the Internet to research vacations and book their own trips is expected to continue to suppress demand for travel agents. Job prospects should be best for travel agents who specialize in specific destinations or particular types of travelers."

National Environment and Recreation Research (NERR) Symposium 2020

2020 National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium 

Annapolis, Maryland  

April 5-7, 2020 

Call for Abstracts 

 The 2020 National Environment and Recreation Research (NERR) Symposium invites you to submit abstracts for presentations focusing on recreation, tourism and environmental topics. NERR offers an unparalleled opportunity for individuals representing the governmental, educational, private, and non-profit sectors to share research findings, management experience and techniques, to advance knowledge in recreation,tourism and environmental management.  

Location and Venue:The Graduate Annapolis Hotel (former Loews Hotel) at 126 West St. in historic Annapolis, Maryland. Discount lodging is available based on established government per-diem rates. Access is convenient through Washington DC area airports, with BWI just 30 minutes driving time to Annapolis.

 Important Dates:
November 4, 2019: Deadline for submission of abstracts and scholarship applications. 
Dec. 18, 2019:Notice of abstract acceptance and scholarship awards. 
March 1, 2020:Deadline for early bird conference registration. 
April 1, 2020:Deadline for conference registration online.
Apr. 5-7, 2020:NERR Symposium 

Detailed conference information is at the conference website http://nerrsymposium.org/

Travel Advisory Map

While many world citizens are being warned against travel to the US due to mass shootings and other acts of domestic terrorism, the US is doing the same for Americans.

A new interactive travel map is sponsored by the State Department.

Red areas should be avoided and the cross hatch countries have warnings suggesting

Exercise Normal Precautions - Contains Areas with Higher Security Risk

I am surprised we don't have that shading for our country?

Peer Review Week 16-20 September 2019

Wow, who knew about Peer Review Week?

What's Peer Review?  Well short answer is the unbiased review of research.  It is like when some medical doctor writes about some new treatment.  These external review people check to make sure the research is appropriate and accurate given the parameters of the study.

Typically this is blind where the author doesn't know the reviewer and vice versa. There are other considerations, but that is the "cliff note version.

Incidentally, that is why the web is frequently garbage since no checks and balances.  So take my blog with a grain of salt.

Overtourism in Iceland

I had a chance to visit Iceland twice.  The first time was in June of 2013 and then a second time October 2015.

From what I am reading, I don't know if I want to go again.

Iceland is suffering the same headaches that Costa Rica has experienced (two visits starting 2000).

Too many people, low cost carriers leaving all lead to a problem in Iceland.

Just like the AT.

Appalachian Trail Histories

A wonderful website called Appalachian Trail Histories is the creation of Professor Mills Kelly and his students in the Department of History and Art History at George Mason University. It is a fantastic site that offers a historical view of the AT.  A must visit site for hikers.

Appalachian Trail 1975

Over the holiday weekend, I hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail that I had last visited in June 1975.

While the route has been taken off dirt roads and moved to the west, you can still see the blazes on Brace Road.

Now crossing Beartown Mountain Road, the new trail looks like this.

From 1973, USGS Topo maps show the different routes over time.  First map is 1973, second is 2018.

Notice the trail is still listed in the former route on the 2018 map.

Hurricane Dorian

As this storm heads toward the mainland, there is a lot of hoopla surrounding the path.  Do your self a favor and go to the National Hurricane Center and not that dot com site staffed with beautiful people.

And for that matter, download a tracking map and follow the storm.

I have posted info on hurricanes frequently on this blog, so you can do a search.

Stay prepared.