October 6, 2023 • 31 mins
Ever wondered why travel prices have skyrocketed after the pandemic? Let's uncover this mystery together with Ashish and I on a riveting journey into the heart of travel pricing and market dynamics. We break it down for you, providing insights into how travel destinations are striving to recover financially after a year of turmoil, and why travel prices are slowly reverting to the pre-pandemic levels. Our aim is to help you understand this shift, not to set off panic alarms. So, buckle up and prepare for a thrilling ride!
The journey doesn't end here. We also walk you through the labyrinth of visa waiver programs and airport security, unveiling the reasons behind the increased costs of travel. We focus specifically on the visa waiver program for Europe, compare it to the US and Canada's visa processes, and enlighten you on how taxes and fees contribute to travel costs. But, that's not all. We also discuss the potential increased scrutiny some travelers might face due to their travel history. Join us for this enlightening conversation; it's an episode you won't want to miss!
Thanks for joining us on today’s episode of The Intrepid Traveler podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please rate and review our show to help us reach even more aspiring travelers. Don’t forget to check out our website, visit us on Facebook, Instagram or follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on our latest epic travel adventures!
Use the following links when planning your own travel!
TRAVEL INSURED INTERNATIONAL
MEDJET
VIRTUOSO
PROJECT EXPEDITION
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Have you ever wondered how the pros put
together epic tailor-made traveladventures?
Welcome to the IntrepidTraveler Podcast.
I'm your host, robin Klein, andI'm going to explain to you
just how that is done during myconversation with today's guest.
When it comes to luxuryadventure and expedition travel,
the possibilities are endless.
(00:29):
In each episode, you'll hearfrom an expert in his or her
field about how theseexperiences, and more, are
created.
This episode of the IntrepidTraveler is brought to you by
Klein Co Travel Consultingaluxury adventure and expedition
travel planning companyspecializing in un-Googleable
experiences.
(00:49):
You can find us on the web atKleinandcoattravelcom.
On Instagram, at Klein CoTravel, we have a private
Facebook group you are welcometo join.
You can find us on LinkedIn orcatch the video version on
YouTube.
With that said, let's welcometoday's guest.
So Ashish and I have decidedwe're having so much fun doing
(01:11):
these episodes together thatwe're going to do it somewhat
regularly, and I hope thatyou'll enjoy listening to them
as much as we enjoy recordingthem.
We'll have one of these aboutonce a month, and the subject
matter will be what not to worryabout in travel.
Enjoy, okay.
(01:32):
Good morning, and we are herewith another episode of the
Ashish and Robin show.
No, I'm kidding.
Good morning America.
Exactly exactly.
It's kind of starting to feelthat way a little bit, though.
Ashish has a podcast called theSustainable Voice my podcast,
(01:53):
of course, is the IntrepidTraveler and once a month we do
a co-hosted episode of the newlydubbed Ashish and Robin show
and we talk about what is it?
We talk about Ashish.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Things we shouldn't freak out about.
Exactly, don't freak out.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
That's right.
We do have some great subjectsto talk about today, and we each
are bringing one to the table.
So today, since I let us off,why don't you lead with?
What is your subject not tofreak out about?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah, for me and I've had this conversation, so my
background is in finance andeconomics, so obviously I'm a
numbers guy, so I have constantconversations with people, not
just about travel, but just ingeneral.
Things are kind of so expensiveand inflation and whatnot, and
I'll stop at somebody and say weneed to actually take a step
(02:46):
back and I'm not bringingpolitics into this, but you need
to take a step back and there'sa couple of things that you got
to understand.
So, first of all, anybody whotraveled last year, anybody who
traveled 2021, 2020, you knowwhat well, part of 2020, it's
almost like this, not foreverybody, but for a small
percentage of the population.
(03:06):
There's a sticker shock thatcomes with this year and with
2024 and even 2025.
And I've heard explanations andpeople go well, things are just
getting more expensive.
But I even had thatconversation with an insurance
agent.
A home insurance agent saidwell, things are just getting
more expensive with the price ofinflation and whatnot.
That's not a good, that's not agood enough explanation.
(03:27):
So why?
You know, we shouldn't freakout and we should understand the
full reasoning.
So let's go back to thepandemic, let's go back to 2020,
not mentally or emotionally,let's just go back.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I was just going to say I don't want to go back.
Please, I want to go back tothat.
Don't make me go back.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
You can't make me, I'm not going.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Exactly, exactly, no, but okay, but from a historical
perspective, from a historical.
This can hurt you.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying.
Yes, so if we go back to that,you know, everybody in travel
rolled their prices back to 2019, not just in travel, but in
general.
With the exception of cars andhouses, everything else was
either kept stagnant, but theprices went down a little bit
for everything else, yeah, andbuilding, building materials.
Yeah, absolutely yeah, buildingmaterials as well, exactly,
exactly.
(04:12):
So it's interesting becausethat's part of this, because a
good friend of mine actually isinvolved in home construction.
He does, you know, he's a hugepart of all new home
construction, so he's a goodbellwether for what the economy
is doing.
So, but in travel specifically,right, so in 2020, a lot of
places, almost every placerolled their prices back to 2019
(04:32):
.
So you're now talking aboutwhen you do start traveling in
later 2020, past 2021, you'repaying 2019 pricing.
So, almost across the board.
We talked to somebody in 2021and I talked to some people said
oh well, 2021 is great,everybody held over 2020 pricing
.
No, they didn't, they held over2019 pricing.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah, because there was really no 2020.
There was no 2020 pricing.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Everything was rolled back.
So 2019 pricing so that was2021, you're paying 2019 pricing
In 2022, you're paying 2020 and2021 pricing.
This year, 2023, you're payingwhat the pricing should have
been in 2022.
Next year, you're paying fullmarket value for what the price
should be in 2024.
(05:17):
So I use that as an explanationand it works to say look in a
lot of these countries you knowwhether you and Robin, you and I
, the countries working 80% ofour third level destinations,
right, whether it's in Egypt orKenya, they are hurting for cash
.
They are short on cash.
They owe a lot of people moneyfor different reasons, because
they shut their economy downduring COVID and realize it's
(05:37):
tourism dependent.
Their unemployment rates wentto 65, 70%.
They've got to have a chance tomake back that money.
In the case of East Africa,you're talking about making
seven months of money in 12months.
So we tell them you can't freakout.
It's like, literally, ifsomebody came to you and said,
hey, I know you're a traveleconomy is booming, but I want
(05:58):
the price from five years ago.
In what world do you get thatanywhere?
Forget about travel, right,right.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, I mean go buy a car or a house or groceries.
Yeah exactly Nothing is thesame price it was.
Exactly, there's no reason,this is going to stay the same
either.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
No exactly, exactly, and so it's basically telling
people look, you can't freak outabout this.
It is the case.
We can complain about airfaregoing up and everything going up
and, yes, the cost, everythinggoes up.
But if we drill down toeverything whether it's airlines
, hotels, tours travel,adventure travel, whatever it is
you drill down to everything.
(06:34):
We have to remember, right?
We were paying 2019 prices in2020.
We were paying 2021 prices in2022.
We were paying 2022 prices in2023.
We are now paying 2024 pricesin 2024.
Right 2023 and 2024.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
The market has to catch up.
And the other thing is alsothat we have to accept that
travel is booming.
It's not.
You know, countries are sittingat 30% occupancy, 20% occupancy
, it's 100%, and overcrowding isa concern in certain places.
I was talking to a very goodfriend from Italy yesterday who
owns a company there and she wasjust talking about the fact
(07:15):
that she said we still have tohave our stop sell.
We're syllable wound.
We need to have a stop sell.
We just need to be able tocontrol what's happening.
She sits on the World Childwith Children Council Board with
me and she was talking aboutthe fact that over tourism is a
concern and we have to be ableto connect local people.
Well, connecting local peopleisn't free right Just because
somebody's part of an indigenouscommunity.
(07:36):
I know Europe is a separateanimal, but if you go into
places in Africa and LatinAmerica connecting people in a
local economy, you got to paythem a fair price because
they're from a local communityand because they're a minority
doesn't mean you get to pay themless, so that's something
that's really key.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, yeah, well, and I mean, I think that that's one
of the things that you guys areso great at is that you make
sure that when you, the partnersthat you work with in different
countries that people aregetting fair wages living wages
and you know, I get the thing alot where people will be like,
oh well, that should be aninexpensive destination or that
(08:14):
should be cheap, and it's likewhy?
Speaker 2 (08:18):
You know why?
Why?
Speaker 1 (08:18):
would you, you know, think that?
So a lot of it is is educatingour clients about why things you
know.
I mean I have a dear friendwho's now departed but he had a
great saying was good ain'tcheap and cheap ain't good.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You can't have both.
It's either good or it's cheap.
You can't be both.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Right, Right or well, I mean sometimes, but man,
that's getting lucky.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah.
But even those times where it'slike, yeah, well, this is too
good to be true.
In about five years you lookback and go, wow, it was too
good to be true.
Yeah, so at some point thewheels come off the bus, the
varnish comes off at some point.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
That's exactly right.
I mean it's you know, it'sbuying the, you know, whatever
it is.
I mean, if we apply this to acar, yeah, if you buy the car
that is made less expensively,with lower quality parts and all
of that, it is not going tolast as long.
(09:18):
So it's like are you going topay for it up front or are you
going to pay for it later whenyou have to buy another car
because the first one didn'tlast and rabbit hole?
number one I got to share thiswith you.
Sorry, you laugh hysterically,okay.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
So my son is a new driver and so we're looking, we
were looking for a car for him,okay, and I remember I had a
friend tell me I'll just get hima beater.
And of course I'm not, we'renot getting him anything new,
we're going to get him a beater.
But get him a beater, get himsomething there.
And he shows me his car.
So look, this car is only thismuch money, it's so cheap and
whatnot.
And I said, look, it's still myson.
(09:53):
Like I need to make sure it'sstill safe.
He goes.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Oh, it's fine.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
So there's the Institute of Highway Safety I
think insurance Institute ofHighway Safety.
They have those offset crashes.
I love watching those justbecause you get to see our cars,
really, really built right,they basically run a car into a
highway at 50 miles an hour,sort of like how you're dealing
with the traveling machine.
You're basically running into alot of 50 miles an hour.
So different than that this iswhat the fallout is yeah,
(10:17):
exactly, Just like all right,here we go, Open holes, and I
looked up the exact car he toldme he's like oh, this car is too
cheap, I want to this thingcrumpled like tissue banner.
So I showed it to him and I saidOkay, would you put your enemy
here?
Oh Well, depends on the enemy.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I said wait, hold on, hold on would you really put
some of your tears of enemyenemies.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Yeah, yeah, like I did that vindictive when you put
the enemy here's like, well, no, of course not, I wouldn't want
to anybody there.
So why would you put anybody'schild there?
Little on anything else youknow.
So it's the same thing.
What job?
It's the same thing, right?
I mean we shouldn't freak outabout how the prices are going
up and stop and think okay, ifour company is offering you
something that is 50% less thanwhat the market's giving you,
(11:03):
that money is coming Fromsomewhere get.
Case in point Galapagos.
You start looking all thesedifferent products in the
Galapagos and the price pointsis there's a sale here.
Free this and free that.
Those are coming from guides,payment for the most part.
And there's a reason why thebest guides don't work with
those companies, right, right,right yeah.
So yeah, that's what I tell youdon't freak out about, yeah
(11:24):
that's.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
That's a.
That's a good one.
That absolutely is so.
Okay.
So mine is the new quote-quotevisa for Europe, and which it is
not a visa.
We're gonna start with sayingit is not a visa.
What most of us don't realizeis this this is something
Europeans have had to do for along time To come into the
(11:45):
United States right.
You know, most of the rest ofthe world has to do this to come
into the United States and whatit is, which I Failed to
remember right now what theofficial name of it is, but it
is actually a visa waiver orit's something saying that you
don't need a visa to enter.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Fill this visa format .
Tells you don't need a visa.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, but no, it's not.
It's not quite that, not quitethat.
So you, it's not gonna beaccording to you.
You know what we've been toldso far it's gonna be a Simple
we'll see how simple it is butsimple online Form.
You, you know, put your name,your date, your birth, you know,
(12:29):
blah, blah, blah in you payseven euros for it and you're
supposed to get a approvalwithin an hour, and what this
says is okay, this person isonly coming for, you know, two
weeks for vacation, and they arenot required to have a visa.
(12:51):
So the the tripwires are gonnabe things like, let's say,
you're a student and you'regonna be there long term or if
you're gonna be, you know,living there long term for some
reason, working there maybeyou're you know have a partner
or you're some of your marryingor you know those kind of things
(13:12):
.
Those are all things thatactually require a visa, and
it's the same for coming to theUnited States.
When people come here fromother countries, you have to
fill out this form to say areyou coming, you know, for work
or for for?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
leisure and.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
This is.
This is all that that is.
It's not, it's not a big dealit is right worth freaking out
about.
It's something that otherpeople have had to do for a long
time, and it makes sense quitewell, it does I mean I do want
to be a fly in that room.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
When these people sat in a room and said these people
don't need visas, they canenter the country free at will,
fantastic.
Let's have a fill out a formthat says that don't even visa.
I just want to be enough flyingwhen that decision was made,
because it just be.
I want to hear the pros andcons of how they got to this
moment.
But you're right, it's not thatwe got about.
I'll tell you.
So you know, we, you and I areheading to this conference in
Las Vegas.
I don't know if you're goingthis year.
(14:09):
Yes you know, while while wasthere.
So you know that's Saturdayglobetrotting, that where we
bring in.
You know.
You know we bring in peoplefrom different countries all the
time one of my guides andwhatnot.
So, to put it in perspectivefor anybody who is freaking out
about this, there are peoplethat we have in Africa and parts
of Latin America.
They've been waiting two yearsfor a visa to enter the US just
to come to this show that Icould bring them there for two
(14:31):
years and they've gone to the USEmbassy and they're not coming
to some questionable country.
They're coming from an ally andthey're waiting.
My wife has family in Europeand they got do that online Etsy
visa, whatever the case it is,and they've been denied boarding
because there's been a letterwrong or because this is wrong.
So we can't kid ourselves and wecan't throw stones from a glass
house, right?
(14:51):
You know we don't make it easyfor our allies and for people
that we want to come to thecountry.
We don't make it easy for thiscountry.
Let's, let's not, that's notkid ourselves.
Yeah, you know, yes, going tothe US and Canada, of course, no
problem.
Us and Mexico, of course, butwe need to, we need to think
about that.
And so if Europe is asking forone little farm to be filled out
(15:11):
, Come on, that's yeah, no, it'snot.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It is not a big deal and it's not worth freaking out
about.
And the other thing that'sreally actually nice about it Is
that means we're not gonna haveto fill out those dumb little
pieces of paper on the airplaneanymore.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
It's right.
Oh, you mean with theflat-tents handed out the gifts
in English?
Yes, Exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
And then they you know they take them from you
when you go through immigrationand they stamp them and then I'm
pretty sure Like they get shut,they go in the garbage.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yep, then I'm not being read either.
I I actually attempted to writeRoger Revin on one of those one
time in a metro.
You can just see what somebodysays.
I mean I'm already first on anon-ground and a couple of
countries I mean you would getturned around like the you.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
The one time you do that, the person looking at the
form would pay attention.
Be like, sorry your, it doesn'tmatch your passport.
Go home, roger, or she'swhoever you.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
But if we're actually this pod, this pod, cancer,
things we shouldn't freak outabout while that's happening,
could you imagine the viewershipwe would have?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
as I'm being deported .
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, it's still not freaking out.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Yeah can't be you.
You gotta go back side Right.
Yeah, yeah, that would be.
That would be kind of like acandid camera moment with rabbit
hole number two.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
I got to share this with you as well.
This is really funny.
All right, so because people dofreak out easily.
This just happened flying toCanada and I don't know if I
shared this with you, but I hadyou know.
So we go with that clear lineat TSA.
And there was a woman behind me.
We call it here flow grownright.
Florida grown so, flow grown so, florida grown.
Local person here and welcometo TSA clear.
(16:43):
And she's your prototypicalright, just a nice lady, nothing
wrong.
But but this poor TSA agentfrom Chicago was stops her and
says I need to see your driver'slicense, not to open your bag,
I need to see your driver'slicense.
I swear, I think you wouldthink a dog bit her kid.
She started just you justrailing into this TSA agent.
(17:04):
This poor lady had.
This poor TSA agent has nocontrol over this whatsoever and
it's just saying well, you know, if you fly more frequently,
I'm really sorry.
You know this is, it's random.
She then, of course and I Ithink I've told you this before
I I think I've got a buttwhooping coming my way to an
airport somewhere Because I, Iyou have said that because I'm,
I'm standing by the bail.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
you had jail, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Look, there are a lot of things, that things happen.
You're like I didn't deservethat, I deserve this.
So I turned around and Icouldn't say anything.
I but I felt really bad for theTSA agent and when it was
something like that gets bullied, I it's not okay with me.
So she then proceeds to say youknow what?
I'll go to the regularpre-check line.
This happens to me every time.
(17:48):
Okay, fine, I'm being profiled.
Oh, hell no.
So I turned around, looked ather and said I'm sorry, what did
you just say?
You're being profiled.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
And then I don't came over me.
Next thing out of my mouth iswant to trade places.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Exactly Try being try being me for try being six foot
three brown with a beardwalking through an airport and
see how you go.
Yeah, exactly, you know.
So I said what a trade.
So she, this is what happened.
She looks down, won't sayanything.
The TSA agent starts laughinghysterically.
I looked at her and I saidthat's exactly why I did that.
(18:23):
She goes.
What do you mean I go wasn'tfor her it was for you.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, yeah, Make your day.
Make your day, give yousomething to laugh about.
And when people are freakingout about stupid things.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yeah, that's it so.
I walk right through, noproblem.
And what happens to her and thewoman goes.
Oh, come on in.
So the woman goes walkingbehind me.
I feel like you're behind me.
Oh, no, honey, I still need youto drive his license.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Oh, perfect, yeah, perfect yeah, exactly Well he
goes back to things.
Just we shouldn't be freakingout about things Well, exactly,
and the other thing is is that.
I know that there are plenty ofyou know conspiracy theorists
out there and it's all about bigbrothers watching and all of
that you know kind of stuff.
But you know this stuff doeskeep you safe.
(19:03):
It does as well, Because oncethey do have a well, they
already do have the database.
But now it's just going to bewhere things will be done ahead
of time rather than once youarrive, which you know, who
knows, maybe this will evenspeed things up on arrival.
I think so, because thenthey're not going to be sitting
(19:24):
there waiting while yourpassport goes, gets run through
the thing and the system and allof that, because you will
already all this informationwill already be in there.
It'll know when you're comingthey will already have done all
their checks and whatnot.
And you know I look at it likeyou know.
It's a good thing, becauseanybody that is questionable for
(19:46):
some reason or another will geta little extra scrutiny.
And you know, and if we do fromtime to time, so be it.
I mean there have to be randomchecks as well.
Because there's always peoplethat figure out how to beat a
system.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I'm convinced I'm going to tell people when they,
when they forgot about the farm,say hey, listen, you shouldn't
freak out because if you don'tfill this form out, maybe they
might let me in next to you.
You don't want that, so fillthe form out, skipping, you say
yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, yeah, Exactly so.
So you know, continue on aboutthis, this new thing.
Here's my plan as a traveladvisor.
Okay, it's been announced thatthis is going to happen early in
2024.
That's like all we know rightnow.
Yeah, and people are alreadyfreaking out about it and I'm.
(20:39):
My plan is one.
I'm not even gonna really starttalking about it that much
until we know one a date.
That's what it goes into effect, because you know, I mean we
know in our own country, withthe real ID.
I mean, how many times has thatbeen pushed back?
That's right you know so.
So one until we have a datethat actually goes into effect,
(21:00):
and then two, I'm gonna starttrying to educate my clientele
About it I'll educate myselffirst.
So the best that the degree thatI can Share that information
with them, I will put thatinformation into my workflow.
For people that are going toEurope that I'll give them, you
know, the appropriate website.
Tell them what informationthey're gonna need to have when
(21:23):
they fill out the form thatthey're gonna need to pay the
seven euro fee, which obviouslywill be done with a credit card
because it's all gonna be doneonline and, you know, just help
people.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Before you go any further I got, I got it.
I'm sorry to interrupt you.
I gotta ask you one thing,because you want something
really key.
If anybody's freaking out aboutseven euros, I gotta remind
that person.
You're paying a hundred dollarsto enter Tanzania.
You're paying fifty dollars toenter.
Zambia, you're paying sixty sixplus dollars to enter.
Kenya yeah, really seven euros.
(21:56):
Yeah, really Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Sorry, I have to say that no, no, no.
And then that's a good point,because I think that that's an
entitled attitude as well.
Right, right, that we shouldn'thave to, you know, pay some
sort of a fee.
I mean, all these things we'redoing and, you know, coming into
these countries, it doesn'tjust happen by magic.
And, you know, I always lovethe, the statement the
(22:21):
government will pay for it, andit's like we are the government,
the people that are actuallydoing the traveling and actually
coming into the country Are theones that are paying for it,
rather than and everybodycountry taking on that burden
and and I think that's fair it'slike a luxury tax.
(22:41):
It's a it's a, it's a VAT.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
you know, it's a fact , it's a value, it's a cost of
doing you want to go here, it is, it is, we know.
We must never forget it is aprivilege to travel, not a right
.
Exactly.
And yeah, look, and the samepeople who say, and I will bet
you, the same people who say forthe government, your people,
the same people who complainabout taxes being so high, right
, so it's the same exact people.
(23:05):
You know what?
And I actually even have theperfect argument ready.
Well, this isn't fair.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
What is a rise?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
you and this is again .
Maybe this is just me justbeing a smart aleck, or just
like I said, deserve a Hope andat some point right.
You know what you're right.
Here's a list of every singleperson who signed the
Declaration of Independence.
Let's go exhume their bodiesright now and kick their butt
right now for declaringIndependence from England, for
not being part, for not beingloyal colonists.
(23:32):
Why did they sign that document?
Why did they become independent?
We should exhume them right nowand ask them why why their
decision is making you pay seveneuros now.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
How's that work?
That's a serious rabbit hole.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Myself.
He's not lost to me thatsomebody who looks like me is
talking about exhuming the, thefounding fathers of this country
.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I just wanted to make sure I state that right right
now I, yeah, I get that and Irespect that and I mean I
obviously Am probably one of thein the category of the least
suspicious people there are.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Pretty suspicious of you.
Hold on, hold on, wait, I'mpretty suspicious.
We traveled to the last one.
No, no.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I said I'm in the category of the least.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Oh, that's what I said, I meant you're a
suspicious traveler.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I said that I'm probably in thecategory of the least
suspicious traveler there is youknow, middle-aged white female.
That's right, you know, I meanit's just like.
You know, the statistics don'tback up that.
People like me are causing alot of problems.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Well, if you do get stopped and secondary and
secondary tracked for security,I'm taking a video camera out.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Well, you know, it's interesting.
I did have a moment of concern,though, earlier this year,
because my husband and I wereboth up to have our global entry
renewed, and so I went online,did the thing and they, like, I
did mine maybe a couple of weeksbefore his, and I kept saying,
then you need to do this, youneed to get this done.
And he did, and then he gets anemail like within 24 hours yeah
(25:19):
, cool, you're renewed, you knowyour new car will be in the
mail, all good, and I had tomake an appointment and I was
going to have to drive toCincinnati and it was like, and
I was like, what's the deal?
Like you know and obviously thedeal was is I traveled a lot of
travel to countries and Africa,south America, you know,
(25:43):
various places like that.
I'm sure that there was alittle extra scrutiny because
I'm like you know, I mean thatone year I went to Columbia
three times.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
You know I got on a no fly list early on when.
I, before I got married, I usedto take one way tickets to
Canada and I would drive back ordrive across the door just to
save money on flights to govisit my now wife and so I got a
bunch of one way tickets.
They put me on no fly list andyou know, that was it.
The funniest was actually mymother and apparently somebody
with her same person last namedifferent middle initial is on
(26:13):
the Interventure Poll Wantedlist, and so when she was flying
here from Canada she gotstopped and frisked and
completely interrogated atPearson Airport Toronto because
they couldn't figure out themiddle initial.
So of course I pick her up anhour or a week or she's lens.
She's frustrated and was likeI'm so sorry and I'm busting out
laughing hysterically.
She was why are you laughing?
(26:34):
I said welcome to the party.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
No, I get that.
I finally.
They did finally send me anemail like a couple months later
and said okay, you're approvedand you don't have to go to the
appointment, and so I was veryrelieved about that.
So I mean not because I'dminded it just to paint to drive
(26:57):
up there and you know, go andthey take two minutes.
Look at you and say yeah, yeah,fine.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Yeah, but anyway, but I did end up.
They did end up renewing meprior to having to have an
appointment and all that, sothat was good.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
But you know, it's the general thing that freaking
out about things you have nocontrol.
Workers like pushing water up.
Right, right yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
I mean, that could have been a lot of wasted time
and energy on my part if I'dbeen all indignant about the
fact that my husband gotapproved and I didn't.
I mean, what was I going to do?
Who was I going to call?
Who was I going to complain to?
Speaker 2 (27:37):
you know, and would Mr George Washington.
Why did we become independent?
Why did you arrange?
Speaker 1 (27:44):
for this.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah, I mean come on, Right, right, exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
And to your point, even if you had gotten upset,
let's say you walked into thatoffice and said you people you
gave my husband and one justwent through.
You see how big those guys are,yeah, and you know at what
point.
They don't have to be nice toyou, they could just be letter
of the law and you come back andthere's nobody to blame but
(28:11):
yourself.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Yeah, now, I'd be much better off going in there
with a smile on my face than abox of donuts.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, that's exactly, that's a good idea.
That's a really good idea.
Actually, do I bring a box ofdonuts and a bunch of Diet Coke?
Do I do that?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Well, you know it's interesting.
So I have a friend here inLexington that owns a nothing
but cakes, so she took me to theairport one day and she brought
.
They make these little tiny butcakes called Buntini's and she
gave me a box of Buntini's sothere's 12 in a box and she said
(28:46):
, give these the TSA people onyour way through.
And I was like okay, and so Idid.
And they were all like, oh mygosh, that's so nice, I can't
pull it.
You know they're like.
You know, people always look atus like the enemy.
I'm like you know, of course Itook full credit for it.
I was like, yeah, I was likeall mine, all mine.
(29:10):
I know you work hard and thepeople are complaining to you
all day long, so here have someBuntini's.
That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
You know what?
That's a right idea.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Well, what do you think?
You think we've, uh think we'vecovered our subject.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
I think one topic each is going to be enough
because, oh my, we covered fivetopics with one.
That means, if I do the mathright, we did five with one.
We're doing 15 with three.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Yeah Well, you're the math guy, you're the nerd.
So yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And the sun's coming out hitting my face.
I was just going to say I wasgoing to say it's.
I think it's a sign, it's justthe universe is agreeing with
you that all right guys, that'senough.
Yeah, time to time to, that'senough guys, you've had enough
fun.
Now the sun is out, to say okay, basket, mike Laurie, stop
basking in your own.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Oh, my goodness.
Okay, yes, that is definitely,definitely the cuter end.
Um, all right, so next time wedo this, we are going to be in
Las.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Vegas, in Las Vegas.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
We are going to record from there.
That's going to be a blast, butonce again so.
Sheesh's podcast is thesustainable voice.
This, of course, is theIntrepid Traveler, and thank you
for being with us today.
We'll be back next month.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Absolutely, with new topics and new rabbit holes.
Absolutely, take care, robin.
Bye, see you soon.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
That wraps up today's episode of the Intrepid
Traveler.
Thank you for tuning in andthank you to today's guests for
joining me.
I'll be back again in two weekswith another exciting episode
featuring another guest with astory that is sure to pique your
interest.
Please subscribe to theIntrepid Traveler on your
favorite listening channel andgive us a review.
(30:55):
Once again, today's episode hasbeen brought to you by Clining
Co Travel Consulting, a luxuryadventure and expedition travel
planning company specializing inun-googleable experiences.
Have you ever wondered how the pros put
together epic tailor-made traveladventures?
Welcome to the IntrepidTraveler Podcast.
I'm your host, robin Klein, andI'm going to explain to you
just how that is done during myconversation with today's guest.
When it comes to luxuryadventure and expedition travel,
the possibilities are endless.
(00:29):
In each episode, you'll hearfrom an expert in his or her
field about how theseexperiences, and more, are
created.
This episode of the IntrepidTraveler is brought to you by
Klein Co Travel Consultingaluxury adventure and expedition
travel planning companyspecializing in un-Googleable
experiences.
(00:49):
You can find us on the web atKleinandcoattravelcom.
On Instagram, at Klein CoTravel, we have a private
Facebook group you are welcometo join.
You can find us on LinkedIn orcatch the video version on
YouTube.
With that said, let's welcometoday's guest.
So Ashish and I have decidedwe're having so much fun doing
(01:11):
these episodes together thatwe're going to do it somewhat
regularly, and I hope thatyou'll enjoy listening to them
as much as we enjoy recordingthem.
We'll have one of these aboutonce a month, and the subject
matter will be what not to worryabout in travel.
Enjoy, okay.
(01:32):
Good morning, and we are herewith another episode of the
Ashish and Robin show.
No, I'm kidding.
Good morning America.
Exactly exactly.
It's kind of starting to feelthat way a little bit, though.
Ashish has a podcast called theSustainable Voice my podcast,
(01:53):
of course, is the IntrepidTraveler and once a month we do
a co-hosted episode of the newlydubbed Ashish and Robin show
and we talk about what is it?
We talk about Ashish.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Things we shouldn't freak out about.
Exactly, don't freak out.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
That's right.
We do have some great subjectsto talk about today, and we each
are bringing one to the table.
So today, since I let us off,why don't you lead with?
What is your subject not tofreak out about?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah, for me and I've had this conversation, so my
background is in finance andeconomics, so obviously I'm a
numbers guy, so I have constantconversations with people, not
just about travel, but just ingeneral.
Things are kind of so expensiveand inflation and whatnot, and
I'll stop at somebody and say weneed to actually take a step
(02:46):
back and I'm not bringingpolitics into this, but you need
to take a step back and there'sa couple of things that you got
to understand.
So, first of all, anybody whotraveled last year, anybody who
traveled 2021, 2020, you knowwhat well, part of 2020, it's
almost like this, not foreverybody, but for a small
percentage of the population.
(03:06):
There's a sticker shock thatcomes with this year and with
2024 and even 2025.
And I've heard explanations andpeople go well, things are just
getting more expensive.
But I even had thatconversation with an insurance
agent.
A home insurance agent saidwell, things are just getting
more expensive with the price ofinflation and whatnot.
That's not a good, that's not agood enough explanation.
(03:27):
So why?
You know, we shouldn't freakout and we should understand the
full reasoning.
So let's go back to thepandemic, let's go back to 2020,
not mentally or emotionally,let's just go back.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I was just going to say I don't want to go back.
Please, I want to go back tothat.
Don't make me go back.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
You can't make me, I'm not going.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Exactly, exactly, no, but okay, but from a historical
perspective, from a historical.
This can hurt you.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying.
Yes, so if we go back to that,you know, everybody in travel
rolled their prices back to 2019, not just in travel, but in
general.
With the exception of cars andhouses, everything else was
either kept stagnant, but theprices went down a little bit
for everything else, yeah, andbuilding, building materials.
Yeah, absolutely yeah, buildingmaterials as well, exactly,
exactly.
(04:12):
So it's interesting becausethat's part of this, because a
good friend of mine actually isinvolved in home construction.
He does, you know, he's a hugepart of all new home
construction, so he's a goodbellwether for what the economy
is doing.
So, but in travel specifically,right, so in 2020, a lot of
places, almost every placerolled their prices back to 2019
(04:32):
.
So you're now talking aboutwhen you do start traveling in
later 2020, past 2021, you'repaying 2019 pricing.
So, almost across the board.
We talked to somebody in 2021and I talked to some people said
oh well, 2021 is great,everybody held over 2020 pricing
.
No, they didn't, they held over2019 pricing.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah, because there was really no 2020.
There was no 2020 pricing.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Everything was rolled back.
So 2019 pricing so that was2021, you're paying 2019 pricing
In 2022, you're paying 2020 and2021 pricing.
This year, 2023, you're payingwhat the pricing should have
been in 2022.
Next year, you're paying fullmarket value for what the price
should be in 2024.
(05:17):
So I use that as an explanationand it works to say look in a
lot of these countries you knowwhether you and Robin, you and I
, the countries working 80% ofour third level destinations,
right, whether it's in Egypt orKenya, they are hurting for cash
.
They are short on cash.
They owe a lot of people moneyfor different reasons, because
they shut their economy downduring COVID and realize it's
(05:37):
tourism dependent.
Their unemployment rates wentto 65, 70%.
They've got to have a chance tomake back that money.
In the case of East Africa,you're talking about making
seven months of money in 12months.
So we tell them you can't freakout.
It's like, literally, ifsomebody came to you and said,
hey, I know you're a traveleconomy is booming, but I want
(05:58):
the price from five years ago.
In what world do you get thatanywhere?
Forget about travel, right,right.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, I mean go buy a car or a house or groceries.
Yeah exactly Nothing is thesame price it was.
Exactly, there's no reason,this is going to stay the same
either.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
No exactly, exactly, and so it's basically telling
people look, you can't freak outabout this.
It is the case.
We can complain about airfaregoing up and everything going up
and, yes, the cost, everythinggoes up.
But if we drill down toeverything whether it's airlines
, hotels, tours travel,adventure travel, whatever it is
you drill down to everything.
(06:34):
We have to remember, right?
We were paying 2019 prices in2020.
We were paying 2021 prices in2022.
We were paying 2022 prices in2023.
We are now paying 2024 pricesin 2024.
Right 2023 and 2024.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
The market has to catch up.
And the other thing is alsothat we have to accept that
travel is booming.
It's not.
You know, countries are sittingat 30% occupancy, 20% occupancy
, it's 100%, and overcrowding isa concern in certain places.
I was talking to a very goodfriend from Italy yesterday who
owns a company there and she wasjust talking about the fact
(07:15):
that she said we still have tohave our stop sell.
We're syllable wound.
We need to have a stop sell.
We just need to be able tocontrol what's happening.
She sits on the World Childwith Children Council Board with
me and she was talking aboutthe fact that over tourism is a
concern and we have to be ableto connect local people.
Well, connecting local peopleisn't free right Just because
somebody's part of an indigenouscommunity.
(07:36):
I know Europe is a separateanimal, but if you go into
places in Africa and LatinAmerica connecting people in a
local economy, you got to paythem a fair price because
they're from a local communityand because they're a minority
doesn't mean you get to pay themless, so that's something
that's really key.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, yeah, well, and I mean, I think that that's one
of the things that you guys areso great at is that you make
sure that when you, the partnersthat you work with in different
countries that people aregetting fair wages living wages
and you know, I get the thing alot where people will be like,
oh well, that should be aninexpensive destination or that
(08:14):
should be cheap, and it's likewhy?
Speaker 2 (08:18):
You know why?
Why?
Speaker 1 (08:18):
would you, you know, think that?
So a lot of it is is educatingour clients about why things you
know.
I mean I have a dear friendwho's now departed but he had a
great saying was good ain'tcheap and cheap ain't good.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You can't have both.
It's either good or it's cheap.
You can't be both.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Right, Right or well, I mean sometimes, but man,
that's getting lucky.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah.
But even those times where it'slike, yeah, well, this is too
good to be true.
In about five years you lookback and go, wow, it was too
good to be true.
Yeah, so at some point thewheels come off the bus, the
varnish comes off at some point.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
That's exactly right.
I mean it's you know, it'sbuying the, you know, whatever
it is.
I mean, if we apply this to acar, yeah, if you buy the car
that is made less expensively,with lower quality parts and all
of that, it is not going tolast as long.
(09:18):
So it's like are you going topay for it up front or are you
going to pay for it later whenyou have to buy another car
because the first one didn'tlast and rabbit hole?
number one I got to share thiswith you.
Sorry, you laugh hysterically,okay.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
So my son is a new driver and so we're looking, we
were looking for a car for him,okay, and I remember I had a
friend tell me I'll just get hima beater.
And of course I'm not, we'renot getting him anything new,
we're going to get him a beater.
But get him a beater, get himsomething there.
And he shows me his car.
So look, this car is only thismuch money, it's so cheap and
whatnot.
And I said, look, it's still myson.
(09:53):
Like I need to make sure it'sstill safe.
He goes.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Oh, it's fine.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
So there's the Institute of Highway Safety I
think insurance Institute ofHighway Safety.
They have those offset crashes.
I love watching those justbecause you get to see our cars,
really, really built right,they basically run a car into a
highway at 50 miles an hour,sort of like how you're dealing
with the traveling machine.
You're basically running into alot of 50 miles an hour.
So different than that this iswhat the fallout is yeah,
(10:17):
exactly, Just like all right,here we go, Open holes, and I
looked up the exact car he toldme he's like oh, this car is too
cheap, I want to this thingcrumpled like tissue banner.
So I showed it to him and I saidOkay, would you put your enemy
here?
Oh Well, depends on the enemy.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I said wait, hold on, hold on would you really put
some of your tears of enemyenemies.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Yeah, yeah, like I did that vindictive when you put
the enemy here's like, well, no, of course not, I wouldn't want
to anybody there.
So why would you put anybody'schild there?
Little on anything else youknow.
So it's the same thing.
What job?
It's the same thing, right?
I mean we shouldn't freak outabout how the prices are going
up and stop and think okay, ifour company is offering you
something that is 50% less thanwhat the market's giving you,
(11:03):
that money is coming Fromsomewhere get.
Case in point Galapagos.
You start looking all thesedifferent products in the
Galapagos and the price pointsis there's a sale here.
Free this and free that.
Those are coming from guides,payment for the most part.
And there's a reason why thebest guides don't work with
those companies, right, right,right yeah.
So yeah, that's what I tell youdon't freak out about, yeah
(11:24):
that's.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
That's a.
That's a good one.
That absolutely is so.
Okay.
So mine is the new quote-quotevisa for Europe, and which it is
not a visa.
We're gonna start with sayingit is not a visa.
What most of us don't realizeis this this is something
Europeans have had to do for along time To come into the
(11:45):
United States right.
You know, most of the rest ofthe world has to do this to come
into the United States and whatit is, which I Failed to
remember right now what theofficial name of it is, but it
is actually a visa waiver orit's something saying that you
don't need a visa to enter.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Fill this visa format .
Tells you don't need a visa.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Well, but no, it's not.
It's not quite that, not quitethat.
So you, it's not gonna beaccording to you.
You know what we've been toldso far it's gonna be a Simple
we'll see how simple it is butsimple online Form.
You, you know, put your name,your date, your birth, you know,
(12:29):
blah, blah, blah in you payseven euros for it and you're
supposed to get a approvalwithin an hour, and what this
says is okay, this person isonly coming for, you know, two
weeks for vacation, and they arenot required to have a visa.
(12:51):
So the the tripwires are gonnabe things like, let's say,
you're a student and you'regonna be there long term or if
you're gonna be, you know,living there long term for some
reason, working there maybeyou're you know have a partner
or you're some of your marryingor you know those kind of things
(13:12):
.
Those are all things thatactually require a visa, and
it's the same for coming to theUnited States.
When people come here fromother countries, you have to
fill out this form to say areyou coming, you know, for work
or for for?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
leisure and.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
This is.
This is all that that is.
It's not, it's not a big dealit is right worth freaking out
about.
It's something that otherpeople have had to do for a long
time, and it makes sense quitewell, it does I mean I do want
to be a fly in that room.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
When these people sat in a room and said these people
don't need visas, they canenter the country free at will,
fantastic.
Let's have a fill out a formthat says that don't even visa.
I just want to be enough flyingwhen that decision was made,
because it just be.
I want to hear the pros andcons of how they got to this
moment.
But you're right, it's not thatwe got about.
I'll tell you.
So you know, we, you and I areheading to this conference in
Las Vegas.
I don't know if you're goingthis year.
(14:09):
Yes you know, while while wasthere.
So you know that's Saturdayglobetrotting, that where we
bring in.
You know.
You know we bring in peoplefrom different countries all the
time one of my guides andwhatnot.
So, to put it in perspectivefor anybody who is freaking out
about this, there are peoplethat we have in Africa and parts
of Latin America.
They've been waiting two yearsfor a visa to enter the US just
to come to this show that Icould bring them there for two
(14:31):
years and they've gone to the USEmbassy and they're not coming
to some questionable country.
They're coming from an ally andthey're waiting.
My wife has family in Europeand they got do that online Etsy
visa, whatever the case it is,and they've been denied boarding
because there's been a letterwrong or because this is wrong.
So we can't kid ourselves and wecan't throw stones from a glass
house, right?
(14:51):
You know we don't make it easyfor our allies and for people
that we want to come to thecountry.
We don't make it easy for thiscountry.
Let's, let's not, that's notkid ourselves.
Yeah, you know, yes, going tothe US and Canada, of course, no
problem.
Us and Mexico, of course, butwe need to, we need to think
about that.
And so if Europe is asking forone little farm to be filled out
(15:11):
, Come on, that's yeah, no, it'snot.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It is not a big deal and it's not worth freaking out
about.
And the other thing that'sreally actually nice about it Is
that means we're not gonna haveto fill out those dumb little
pieces of paper on the airplaneanymore.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
It's right.
Oh, you mean with theflat-tents handed out the gifts
in English?
Yes, Exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
And then they you know they take them from you
when you go through immigrationand they stamp them and then I'm
pretty sure Like they get shut,they go in the garbage.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yep, then I'm not being read either.
I I actually attempted to writeRoger Revin on one of those one
time in a metro.
You can just see what somebodysays.
I mean I'm already first on anon-ground and a couple of
countries I mean you would getturned around like the you.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
The one time you do that, the person looking at the
form would pay attention.
Be like, sorry your, it doesn'tmatch your passport.
Go home, roger, or she'swhoever you.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
But if we're actually this pod, this pod, cancer,
things we shouldn't freak outabout while that's happening,
could you imagine the viewershipwe would have?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
as I'm being deported .
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, it's still not freaking out.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Yeah can't be you.
You gotta go back side Right.
Yeah, yeah, that would be.
That would be kind of like acandid camera moment with rabbit
hole number two.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
I got to share this with you as well.
This is really funny.
All right, so because people dofreak out easily.
This just happened flying toCanada and I don't know if I
shared this with you, but I hadyou know.
So we go with that clear lineat TSA.
And there was a woman behind me.
We call it here flow grownright.
Florida grown so, flow grown so, florida grown.
Local person here and welcometo TSA clear.
(16:43):
And she's your prototypicalright, just a nice lady, nothing
wrong.
But but this poor TSA agentfrom Chicago was stops her and
says I need to see your driver'slicense, not to open your bag,
I need to see your driver'slicense.
I swear, I think you wouldthink a dog bit her kid.
She started just you justrailing into this TSA agent.
(17:04):
This poor lady had.
This poor TSA agent has nocontrol over this whatsoever and
it's just saying well, you know, if you fly more frequently,
I'm really sorry.
You know this is, it's random.
She then, of course and I Ithink I've told you this before
I I think I've got a buttwhooping coming my way to an
airport somewhere Because I, Iyou have said that because I'm,
I'm standing by the bail.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
you had jail, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Look, there are a lot of things, that things happen.
You're like I didn't deservethat, I deserve this.
So I turned around and Icouldn't say anything.
I but I felt really bad for theTSA agent and when it was
something like that gets bullied, I it's not okay with me.
So she then proceeds to say youknow what?
I'll go to the regularpre-check line.
This happens to me every time.
(17:48):
Okay, fine, I'm being profiled.
Oh, hell no.
So I turned around, looked ather and said I'm sorry, what did
you just say?
You're being profiled.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
And then I don't came over me.
Next thing out of my mouth iswant to trade places.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Exactly Try being try being me for try being six foot
three brown with a beardwalking through an airport and
see how you go.
Yeah, exactly, you know.
So I said what a trade.
So she, this is what happened.
She looks down, won't sayanything.
The TSA agent starts laughinghysterically.
I looked at her and I saidthat's exactly why I did that.
(18:23):
She goes.
What do you mean I go wasn'tfor her it was for you.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, yeah, Make your day.
Make your day, give yousomething to laugh about.
And when people are freakingout about stupid things.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yeah, that's it so.
I walk right through, noproblem.
And what happens to her and thewoman goes.
Oh, come on in.
So the woman goes walkingbehind me.
I feel like you're behind me.
Oh, no, honey, I still need youto drive his license.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Oh, perfect, yeah, perfect yeah, exactly Well he
goes back to things.
Just we shouldn't be freakingout about things Well, exactly,
and the other thing is is that.
I know that there are plenty ofyou know conspiracy theorists
out there and it's all about bigbrothers watching and all of
that you know kind of stuff.
But you know this stuff doeskeep you safe.
(19:03):
It does as well, Because oncethey do have a well, they
already do have the database.
But now it's just going to bewhere things will be done ahead
of time rather than once youarrive, which you know, who
knows, maybe this will evenspeed things up on arrival.
I think so, because thenthey're not going to be sitting
(19:24):
there waiting while yourpassport goes, gets run through
the thing and the system and allof that, because you will
already all this informationwill already be in there.
It'll know when you're comingthey will already have done all
their checks and whatnot.
And you know I look at it likeyou know.
It's a good thing, becauseanybody that is questionable for
(19:46):
some reason or another will geta little extra scrutiny.
And you know, and if we do fromtime to time, so be it.
I mean there have to be randomchecks as well.
Because there's always peoplethat figure out how to beat a
system.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I'm convinced I'm going to tell people when they,
when they forgot about the farm,say hey, listen, you shouldn't
freak out because if you don'tfill this form out, maybe they
might let me in next to you.
You don't want that, so fillthe form out, skipping, you say
yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, yeah, Exactly so.
So you know, continue on aboutthis, this new thing.
Here's my plan as a traveladvisor.
Okay, it's been announced thatthis is going to happen early in
2024.
That's like all we know rightnow.
Yeah, and people are alreadyfreaking out about it and I'm.
(20:39):
My plan is one.
I'm not even gonna really starttalking about it that much
until we know one a date.
That's what it goes into effect, because you know, I mean we
know in our own country, withthe real ID.
I mean, how many times has thatbeen pushed back?
That's right you know so.
So one until we have a datethat actually goes into effect,
(21:00):
and then two, I'm gonna starttrying to educate my clientele
About it I'll educate myselffirst.
So the best that the degree thatI can Share that information
with them, I will put thatinformation into my workflow.
For people that are going toEurope that I'll give them, you
know, the appropriate website.
Tell them what informationthey're gonna need to have when
(21:23):
they fill out the form thatthey're gonna need to pay the
seven euro fee, which obviouslywill be done with a credit card
because it's all gonna be doneonline and, you know, just help
people.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Before you go any further I got, I got it.
I'm sorry to interrupt you.
I gotta ask you one thing,because you want something
really key.
If anybody's freaking out aboutseven euros, I gotta remind
that person.
You're paying a hundred dollarsto enter Tanzania.
You're paying fifty dollars toenter.
Zambia, you're paying sixty sixplus dollars to enter.
Kenya yeah, really seven euros.
(21:56):
Yeah, really Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Sorry, I have to say that no, no, no.
And then that's a good point,because I think that that's an
entitled attitude as well.
Right, right, that we shouldn'thave to, you know, pay some
sort of a fee.
I mean, all these things we'redoing and, you know, coming into
these countries, it doesn'tjust happen by magic.
And, you know, I always lovethe, the statement the
(22:21):
government will pay for it, andit's like we are the government,
the people that are actuallydoing the traveling and actually
coming into the country Are theones that are paying for it,
rather than and everybodycountry taking on that burden
and and I think that's fair it'slike a luxury tax.
(22:41):
It's a it's a, it's a VAT.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
you know, it's a fact , it's a value, it's a cost of
doing you want to go here, it is, it is, we know.
We must never forget it is aprivilege to travel, not a right
.
Exactly.
And yeah, look, and the samepeople who say, and I will bet
you, the same people who say forthe government, your people,
the same people who complainabout taxes being so high, right
, so it's the same exact people.
(23:05):
You know what?
And I actually even have theperfect argument ready.
Well, this isn't fair.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
What is a rise?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
you and this is again .
Maybe this is just me justbeing a smart aleck, or just
like I said, deserve a Hope andat some point right.
You know what you're right.
Here's a list of every singleperson who signed the
Declaration of Independence.
Let's go exhume their bodiesright now and kick their butt
right now for declaringIndependence from England, for
not being part, for not beingloyal colonists.
(23:32):
Why did they sign that document?
Why did they become independent?
We should exhume them right nowand ask them why why their
decision is making you pay seveneuros now.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
How's that work?
That's a serious rabbit hole.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Myself.
He's not lost to me thatsomebody who looks like me is
talking about exhuming the, thefounding fathers of this country
.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I just wanted to make sure I state that right right
now I, yeah, I get that and Irespect that and I mean I
obviously Am probably one of thein the category of the least
suspicious people there are.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Pretty suspicious of you.
Hold on, hold on, wait, I'mpretty suspicious.
We traveled to the last one.
No, no.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I said I'm in the category of the least.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Oh, that's what I said, I meant you're a
suspicious traveler.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I said that I'm probably in thecategory of the least
suspicious traveler there is youknow, middle-aged white female.
That's right, you know, I meanit's just like.
You know, the statistics don'tback up that.
People like me are causing alot of problems.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Well, if you do get stopped and secondary and
secondary tracked for security,I'm taking a video camera out.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Well, you know, it's interesting.
I did have a moment of concern,though, earlier this year,
because my husband and I wereboth up to have our global entry
renewed, and so I went online,did the thing and they, like, I
did mine maybe a couple of weeksbefore his, and I kept saying,
then you need to do this, youneed to get this done.
And he did, and then he gets anemail like within 24 hours yeah
(25:19):
, cool, you're renewed, you knowyour new car will be in the
mail, all good, and I had tomake an appointment and I was
going to have to drive toCincinnati and it was like, and
I was like, what's the deal?
Like you know and obviously thedeal was is I traveled a lot of
travel to countries and Africa,south America, you know,
(25:43):
various places like that.
I'm sure that there was alittle extra scrutiny because
I'm like you know, I mean thatone year I went to Columbia
three times.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
You know I got on a no fly list early on when.
I, before I got married, I usedto take one way tickets to
Canada and I would drive back ordrive across the door just to
save money on flights to govisit my now wife and so I got a
bunch of one way tickets.
They put me on no fly list andyou know, that was it.
The funniest was actually mymother and apparently somebody
with her same person last namedifferent middle initial is on
(26:13):
the Interventure Poll Wantedlist, and so when she was flying
here from Canada she gotstopped and frisked and
completely interrogated atPearson Airport Toronto because
they couldn't figure out themiddle initial.
So of course I pick her up anhour or a week or she's lens.
She's frustrated and was likeI'm so sorry and I'm busting out
laughing hysterically.
She was why are you laughing?
(26:34):
I said welcome to the party.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
No, I get that.
I finally.
They did finally send me anemail like a couple months later
and said okay, you're approvedand you don't have to go to the
appointment, and so I was veryrelieved about that.
So I mean not because I'dminded it just to paint to drive
(26:57):
up there and you know, go andthey take two minutes.
Look at you and say yeah, yeah,fine.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Yeah, but anyway, but I did end up.
They did end up renewing meprior to having to have an
appointment and all that, sothat was good.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
But you know, it's the general thing that freaking
out about things you have nocontrol.
Workers like pushing water up.
Right, right yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
I mean, that could have been a lot of wasted time
and energy on my part if I'dbeen all indignant about the
fact that my husband gotapproved and I didn't.
I mean, what was I going to do?
Who was I going to call?
Who was I going to complain to?
Speaker 2 (27:37):
you know, and would Mr George Washington.
Why did we become independent?
Why did you arrange?
Speaker 1 (27:44):
for this.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah, I mean come on, Right, right, exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
And to your point, even if you had gotten upset,
let's say you walked into thatoffice and said you people you
gave my husband and one justwent through.
You see how big those guys are,yeah, and you know at what
point.
They don't have to be nice toyou, they could just be letter
of the law and you come back andthere's nobody to blame but
(28:11):
yourself.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Yeah, now, I'd be much better off going in there
with a smile on my face than abox of donuts.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, that's exactly, that's a good idea.
That's a really good idea.
Actually, do I bring a box ofdonuts and a bunch of Diet Coke?
Do I do that?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Well, you know it's interesting.
So I have a friend here inLexington that owns a nothing
but cakes, so she took me to theairport one day and she brought
.
They make these little tiny butcakes called Buntini's and she
gave me a box of Buntini's sothere's 12 in a box and she said
(28:46):
, give these the TSA people onyour way through.
And I was like okay, and so Idid.
And they were all like, oh mygosh, that's so nice, I can't
pull it.
You know they're like.
You know, people always look atus like the enemy.
I'm like you know, of course Itook full credit for it.
I was like, yeah, I was likeall mine, all mine.
(29:10):
I know you work hard and thepeople are complaining to you
all day long, so here have someBuntini's.
That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
You know what?
That's a right idea.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Well, what do you think?
You think we've, uh think we'vecovered our subject.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
I think one topic each is going to be enough
because, oh my, we covered fivetopics with one.
That means, if I do the mathright, we did five with one.
We're doing 15 with three.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Yeah Well, you're the math guy, you're the nerd.
So yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And the sun's coming out hitting my face.
I was just going to say I wasgoing to say it's.
I think it's a sign, it's justthe universe is agreeing with
you that all right guys, that'senough.
Yeah, time to time to, that'senough guys, you've had enough
fun.
Now the sun is out, to say okay, basket, mike Laurie, stop
basking in your own.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Oh, my goodness.
Okay, yes, that is definitely,definitely the cuter end.
Um, all right, so next time wedo this, we are going to be in
Las.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Vegas, in Las Vegas.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
We are going to record from there.
That's going to be a blast, butonce again so.
Sheesh's podcast is thesustainable voice.
This, of course, is theIntrepid Traveler, and thank you
for being with us today.
We'll be back next month.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Absolutely, with new topics and new rabbit holes.
Absolutely, take care, robin.
Bye, see you soon.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
That wraps up today's episode of the Intrepid
Traveler.
Thank you for tuning in andthank you to today's guests for
joining me.
I'll be back again in two weekswith another exciting episode
featuring another guest with astory that is sure to pique your
interest.
Please subscribe to theIntrepid Traveler on your
favorite listening channel andgive us a review.
(30:55):
Once again, today's episode hasbeen brought to you by Clining
Co Travel Consulting, a luxuryadventure and expedition travel
planning company specializing inun-googleable experiences.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.