Instructor shows basic steps to a novice tango student at Confitería Ideal in Buenos Aires.

I have to concur with the judgment of UNESCO in naming the tango of Argentina and Uruguay part of the world’s cultural heritage (although it could be hard to trust the conclusion of a group burdened with the unfortunate moniker, the “Intergovernmental Committee of Intangible Heritage”). While there’s a whole tango subculture in Buenos Aires, I was surprised at how easy it is to gain at least a little entrée through classes and public dances. Probably the best place to begin is at Confitería Ideal(c/ Suipacha 380-384, Buenos Aires, http://www.confiteriaideal.com), a once-glamorous cafe. Inexpensive classes and dances take place daily in the fabulously seedy upstairs dance hall. The instructors show the patience of Job when teaching the ocho basico, or basic eight-count, to rhythm-impaired Americans, even the ones who show up in running shoes or flip-flops.

Posted by Patricia Harris, Globe Correspondent

Photo by Patricia Harris for the Boston Globe

Almost 75 years since Richard Halliburton swam the Panama Canal for a 38-cent toll, the world wonder remains a rite of passage with a difference: Instead of a waypoint to somewhere else, Panama’s capital city teems with fascinations, as I discovered when the captain announced our canal transit was delayed.

Nothing prepared me for the high density and intensity of the city, likened by realtors to Miami’s South Beach without the attitude problem or the next Hong Kong. Gone, the gun-toting G.l.s of yesteryear. Phrases like “ex-pat revolution” and “retirement economy” pepper casual conversations. Amador, the staging area for yachts entering the canal’s Pacific side, is a trendy address of boutique bars and eateries, whose palm-lined promenade was built with 18 million yards of canal-excavated rock.

Downtown, 100-story condos compete for airspace on a waterfront so hemispherical, it bends like a scene in a fisheye lens.

Some of my favorite things from a too-short stay:

*Friendly, inexpensive taxis. $3 takes you anywhere. Almost every driver is a willing guide.

*Ceviche at the fish market. The freshest fish, octopus, shrimp, and squid, marinated in lemon juice, served take out or in the upstairs restaurant of Mercado de Mariscos, a lively fish market at Avenida Balboa and Calle 15 Este, Calidonia. An equally amazing fruit and vegetable market, Mercado Público, is next door.

The discount carrier has started twice daily nonstop flights to Los Angeles International and is offering one-way sale fares as low as $109. To get the special fares you must book before June 27 and travel between Sept. 8 and Nov. 11. JetBlue announced plans to launch the service in February after pulling back on LAX expansion in May of last year, citing the high cost of fuel and other start-up expenses. And starting tomorrow JetBlue will begin its previously announced nonstop service to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. To mark the occasion, Boston's favorite Santo Domingan, Red Sox star David Ortiz, will be at Logan to greet passengers boarding the first flight.

I recently found myself at a Starbucks Café at Copley Place in Boston, waiting to meet my friend Charlotte for a coffee and chat after returning from three months in Havana, Cuba.

I bought my $4 coffee and scavenged for a table. College students with laptops crowded most of them, headphones in place to block out the rest of the world. A European couple stood up and I darted over to ask them if they were leaving.

Reuters photo of men fishing off the Malecon.

They looked bewildered, nodded, and left three empty coffee cups and trash from their lunch on the table. I put my coat down to save the table and took several trips to the garbage can. I learned long ago not to judge tourist faux pas in our country, as I can’t imagine how many I myself have committed while traveling.

I sat down to wait for Charlotte and immediately opened a magazine I had in brought in my bag. There was music blasting and one of the baristas was singing and dancing along. “Gals on the go,” as a friend of mine affectionately refers to American women, ran in and out ordering non-fat double shot lattes.

I was feeling equally as overwhelmed as the Europeans had looked, but trying to get back into my own gal-on-the-go mentality in order to feel normal in American society again.

I am an avid traveler and over the last four years have spent time in Spain, Ireland, South Africa and Cuba. In each country I traveled to I enjoyed long conversations with friends in cafés and spent copious amounts of time sipping coffee by myself and watching the city at work and play – something which seems self-indulgent when I am in America, but to me is a staple of learning about another culture.

Of the countries I have been to Cuba was the most sheltered from American culture, but oddly enough it was also the easiest to adjust to. I spent hours sitting on the Malecon, a sea wall that stretches the length of the city, watching old American cars drive by. The constant visual assault of advertising was gone. I had no cell phone constantly buzzing and beeping at me, demanding my attention and getting on my nerves.

Starting June 1, the federal government is tightening ID rules for US citizens re-entering the country from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
Till now, if you were coming back into the country from those places by land or sea you only needed to show proof of identity and US citizenship so a driver's license and birth certificate would do it. If you were flying in you basically needed a passport.
After June 1, all will need a passport, passport card, or other approved ID (here's where you can find a list).
Right now, the government says it takes about four to six weeks to process a full passport application or two to three weeks if you're willing to pay for expedited service. Applications for passport cards, which are cheaper but can only be used for land or sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda but not for international air travel (If you're interested, I wrote about the difference last year), take about four to six weeks.
If you still have a little time before your trip and are a Patriots fan, the team is sponsoring a special night on June 4 from 4-8 p.m. at which travelers can apply for a passport at Gillette Stadium’s Fidelity Investments Clubhouse. The event is free. The team is sponsoring the event to promote its Oct. 25 exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium in London. If fact, everyone who shows up to apply for a passport will become eligible to win two free tickets to the game.

AP file photo

Good morning, travelers. The swine flu outbreak may reach pandemic status but the fears seem to be abating. In this morning's Globe, this is what health reporter Stephen Smith reported:

Swine flu, in a matter of days, had hopscotched the globe, racing in the era of jet travel from Mexico, through the United States, Europe, and all the way to China. But the virus has resulted in only a single death outside the outbreak's epicenter. Instead, the strain known as H1N1 has spawned symptoms akin to the seasonal flu that strikes each winter. That was evident in new findings released last night by Governor Deval Patrick and his top health administrators at a State House press briefing. They reported that the state now has 34 confirmed cases of the disease, up from six at the end of last week. People across the state have been stricken, but only three fell so ill that they needed to be hospitalized, and all have recovered. "This is a cause for concern, but not for panic," Patrick said. "Flu always spreads." But, the governor quickly added, an ordinary flu season generates many more cases than the number of H1N1 illnesses reported so far. And so, less than two weeks after disease detectives first identified the new virus, officials from Boston to Atlanta to Geneva began to ever so subtly modify their message about swine flu: Yes, it's something that needs to be watched closely. But the worst - at least right now - might not happen.

In Mexico City, the AP is reporting that things are starting to return to normal:

Mexico declared a return to "normalcy" yesterday, preparing to reopen businesses and schools even as the swine flu virus sickened more than 1,200 people in 20 countries. World health officials said the global epidemic is still in its early stages, and that a pandemic could be declared in the days to come. But Mexico's president said it was waning at its epicenter, justifying tomorrow's end to a five-day nationwide shutdown he credits for reducing the spread of the new virus. Already, streets in the capital seemed more lively, with more vehicles, and fewer people wearing face masks. Some cafes even reopened ahead of time. President Felipe Calderón said universities and high schools will reopen on Thursday, and younger schoolchildren should report back to school on May 11.

But many countries, like Japan, plan to maintain vigilance, according to the AP:

As long as the threat of a flu pandemic persists, anyone who flies into Japan from North America while experiencing any flu-like symptoms or ailments will not be allowed to walk off an airplane and infect people. Last week, inspectors began boarding every flight from Mexico, Canada, and the United States. They take the temperature of about 6,000 passengers a day. Near Tokyo's Narita airport, 500 rooms have been secured by the Health Ministry to quarantine infected passengers.

In local, travel-related news, business reporter Casey Ross is reporting that the Massachusetts Port Authority has told developer Don Chiofaro that two towers he's planning near the New England Aquarium are too tall and would encroach on Logan's airspace:

Chiofaro has proposed a 40-story office tower and a 59-story residential tower linked by a 770-foot tall "skyframe" that would create a rectangular arch that itself would be taller than the two towers.
The authority said the project exceeds its height guidelines for the waterfront by at least 145 feet and could interfere with airplane maneuvers during emergencies. The property, located about two miles from Logan, and now the site of the Boston Harbor garage, is under the path of airplanes using Runway 27, Massport said.
The authority notified Chiofaro that its guidelines would limit the height of his development to 625 feet.
The Federal Aviation Administration has the final decision, but Massport's guidelines are used as reference point in the federal review.

With tour companies both here and abroad and cruise lines either halting flights and port calls or liberalizing cancellation policies, Bloomberg News is reporting that the airline industry is having a fire sale to Mexico.

Delta Air Lines Inc., American Airlines and other U.S. carriers are slashing Mexico fares to as little as $260 round trip as demand dries up because of the swine flu outbreak.
An American ticket to Mexico City from Dallas/Fort Worth sold for $260 yesterday from about $500 recently, said Tom Parsons, founder of travel website BestFares.com. Delta is charging $300 between Atlanta and Cancun, a reduction of at least $100 from a few weeks ago ...
“If you’re paying more than $300 right now to anywhere in Mexico, you’re nuts,” said Rick Seaney, chief executive officer of ticket research firm FareCompare.com. “This isn’t the busy season for them anyway. But who wants to go there right now when these governments are basically telling you not to?”

The question is: Why aren't the airlines canceling? On its face it seems odd, particularly given the ailing condition of the industry. Why would you want to fly empty planes into a place where many people are afraid to go?
In its report, Bloomberg reported that despite the lower fares the carriers weren't exactly inundated with callers looking to cash in:

Delta, American, UAL Corp.’s United Airlines, Continental Airlines Inc. and US Airways Group Inc. have all said that they’ve seen more passengers wanting to cancel or postpone trips to Mexico. They wouldn’t give details.

The AP is reporting that "airlines are flying some nearly empty planes from the United States to Mexico,'' and its report suggests a reason why more flights aren't being canceled:

Airlines sometimes have to fly planes with few passengers in order to position the aircraft for return flights, and that could be happening now. "The flights coming back north are full," said Continental spokesman Dave Messing.

Another Continental representative, Julie King, said that trimming schedules would not be out of the question. "We're constantly monitoring the situation and will be prepared to adjust our schedules as necessary while ensuring that we provide return service to customers in affected cities.''
This is significant coming from Continental, which is the US industry leader in flights to Mexico, with American and US Airways second and third, respectively. Today, for instance, Continental has 66 flights to Mexico, American has 42, and US Airways 24.
Analysts say that other carriers are likely looking at Continental to see what adjustments it is making.

Despite all the concern and all the reporting on the swine flu outbreak it's amazing that we still seem to know so little about it and how serious it really is -- or may be.
The latest is that federal officials are now reporting the first American death linked to the virus. This is from the AP:

*The CDC on Wednesday confirmed the first swine flu death outside of Mexico in the current outbreak, a 23-month-old child in Texas. The child died in Houston, Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the city's health department, told KTRK-TV. It wasn't immediately clear where the child was from. Houston spokesman Frank Michel told the Houston Chronicle the child came from Brownsville, in south Texas. Barton said the toddler came from Mexico. Calls by The Associated Press seeking comment from local health officials weren't immediately returned. The first U.S. swine flu death was confirmed earlier by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Dave Daigle.

And more travel companies are reacting to the news:

Air travel tightened to Mexico, the country at the center of the swine flu outbreak, as Canada’s Transat A.T. Inc. joined Europe’s two largest tour operators in suspending flights. Argentina halted direct flights from Mexico City until May 4, and Cuba canceled all 5 daily Mexico flights yesterday for 48 hours, Mexico’s El Economista reported, citing a statement from Cuba’s health ministry. The tour companies’ moves may herald similar steps at airlines as business and leisure fliers adjust plans. While U.S. carriers such as Delta Air Lines Inc. hadn’t scrubbed flights as of late yesterday, some extended the grace period for passengers to change Mexico trips without penalties. (Bl;oomberg News)

And in the LA Times travel blog, Jen Leo is reporting that Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise lines have all decided to temporary suspend port calls in Mexico in light of the growing concern over the swine flu.

In this morning's Globe I saw a particularly useful Q&A for travelers and others by Bina Venkataraman:

Q. How do people catch the swine flu?

A. Public health officials believe the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is spreading the way that the seasonal flu spreads every year -- when people infected with the flu cough or sneeze and others breathe in airborne droplets containing the virus. People may also be getting swine flu from touching surfaces such as doorknobs contaminated with the virus and then touching their face or mouth. Infected people can spread the flu before they have symptoms, as well as while they are sick.

Q. How can I protect myself and my family from swine flu?

A. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Also, you should get plenty of sleep, exercise, manage your stress, eat healthy food, and drink plenty of water. Avoid close interactions with people who are sick and try not to touch surfaces that could be contaminated with the virus. Avoid touching your nose, eyes, or mouth.

Q. Does hand sanitizer work if I can’t wash my hands?

A. Doctors advise using sanitizing wipes and alcohol-based gels when you do not have access to soap, water, and a sink. If you use a gel, rub your hands until it dries. It’s preferable to wash your hands.

If you want to read the rest of it, here is where it is.

Clearly, concerns over the outbreak of swine flu will affect the travel plans of Americans but Jenn Abelson and Rob Gavin have a story in this morning's Globe about how it will affect the state:

The bruised US economy, which had shown a few signs of life, took another beating yesterday with global concerns over the swine flu outbreak expected to hit travel and tourism the hardest.
The virus, which has sickened people across the United States and Europe and resulted in 149 deaths in Mexico, prompted the European Union's health commissioner to advise Europeans to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico and parts of the United States.
The warning yesterday could have a devastating effect on New England, where 95 percent of overseas travelers come from Europe.
Patrick Moscaritolo, chief executive of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, said just a 10 percent drop in travelers to New England would mean a loss of more than $60 million, but it is too early to predict the fallout. The bureau had already expected a 5 percent to 9 percent drop in travel to New England because of the sour economy.
Travel and tourism business is one of Massachusetts' key industries. It is the fifth-biggest in terms of employment with 300,000 workers, according to the US Department of Labor.
The flu outbreak, coming weeks before the busy summer travel season, is another setback for the struggling travel industry, which was expecting the volume of total overseas visits to the United States to fall 3.1 percent from last year, according to the US Travel Association, an industry trade group.
Several airlines are waiving fees for passengers who were scheduled to fly through certain cities in Mexico and want to change their tickets.

And here's a quick look at how the rest of the world is responding:

* The World Health Organization raised its alert level over the swine flu outbreak but stopped short of declaring a global emergency. The United States advised Americans against most travel to Mexico and ordered stepped up border checks in neighboring states. The European Union health commissioner advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States. The WHO raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country. Its alert system was revised after bird flu in Asia began to spread in 2004, and Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3. Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. That move could lead governments to set trade, travel and other restrictions aimed at limiting its spread. Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world. It could take four to six months before the first batch of vaccines are available to fight the virus, WHO officials said. Russia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus amid global fears of a pandemic, an epidemic spread over a large area, either a region or worldwide. (AP)

*US hospitality companies shut a number of facilities in Mexico and relaxed cancellation policies, as they scrambled to respond to the flu outbreak. Starbucks Corp closed 10 stores in Mexico City and Six Flags Inc closed all its Mexico City theme park indoor facilities in the wake of the swine flu outbreak. Some US airlines and hotels began allowing passengers to change itineraries to Mexico. Brinker International, which operates restaurants including Chili's Grill & Bar, said several franchisees have responded to the Mexican government's recommendation that citizens avoid public places by voluntarily closing their restaurants or limiting hours of operations. Carnival Corp, the world's largest cruise ship operator, said in a statement that it will not be making any adjustments to its itineraries. Delta Air Lines saw no impact on its operations but said it was allowing customers to make a one-time change for free for travel plans to Mexico. UAL Corp's United and US Airways Group Inc also said they were allowing travelers to change itineraries for destinations served in Mexico. Starwood Hotels and Resorts said it was waiving penalties for customers canceling or changing reservations at its owned and managed properties in Mexico for arrivals between April 25 and May 6, 2009. (Reuters)

Earlier this week I wrote about JetBlue's sale on fares for travel through June 17. Now United has launched a similar sale also for flights through the 17th -- although United's includes international travel.
For domestic travel many of the terms will be familiar: purchase by April 5, 14-day advance, lowest fares on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Here is the fine print.
The exciting thing is that my pal, Rick Seaney, who tracks airfares reports that the discounts have already been matched by AirTran, Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Northwest, Southwest, and US Airways.
So the battle for your late spring travel dollar is joined.

Bloomberg News is reporting that American will halt free meal service in coach on flights between the United State and Latin America and the Dominican Republic. Snacks will be sold for $3 or $4 on flights longer two hours starting March 1. And on longer flights passengers can buy sandwiches for $6.

STA Travel, a student and youth travel company, is looking for two interns for this summer.
What do they want you to do? Video-blog a trip around the world to 15 different countries. On their dime. That's right. For free.
To apply you must be between 18 and 26. You do not need to be a student. Applicants must make and upload a video to YouTube explaining why they deserve the job -- the popularity of your video (reflected in the number and kind of comments and views) will be a factor in whether you advance. You can scope out some of the competition here.
The top 20 applicants will face a phone interview with contest judges, and the 10 finalists must submit a second video giving the judges a tour of their hometown.
Entries will be accepted through the STA Travel World Traveler Internship website until March 8 and winners will be annointed by mid-April.
What is the itinerary? Winners must be free to travel from June 1 - Aug. 20. The odyssey will start with two weeks in Fiji volunteering at a school and enjoying a little R&R. Then it's off to Australia, India, Kenya, and Tanzania, before heading to Berlin, Poland, Denmark and Russia. The trip finishes with a backpacking adventure in Scotland and tour of Ireland.
Sweet, yes? Much better than interning at your Uncle Greg's law firm, methinks.

Westjet, the Canadian discount airline that plans to partner with Southwest, sent out a questionnaire to consumers to gauge their willingness to pay for a menu of services -- or to save money forgoing them.

One of the questions, first reported by Chris Elliott on his blog, involved whether passengers would favor shelling out $10 to not sit next to a parent with a baby.

The Westjet queries are revealing, I think. They don’t necessarily reflect what kinds of fees all the airlines will go for, but they suggest what kinds of things they all must be at least considering (or are already trying).

Besides the baby question, the carrier also asked whether travelers would consider paying $10 for:

• Being among the first to get on or off planes
  
• Quicker baggage delivery
  
• Priority rebooking after flight cancellations
  
• Complimentary meals/hotel accommodations for substantially delayed or canceled flights
  
• In-flight Web access
  
• Guaranteed space in the overhead bin
  
• In-seat power
  
• Premium snacks/meals
  
• Freshly laundered pillow/blanket set that you may keep
  
• Amenity kits with earplugs, eyeshades, and toiletries
  
• Shorter waits to clear security checkpoints

The carrier also asked questions about which services travelers would be willing to give up in order to save $10 on flights of two to four hours. These included

Southwest says that it plans to offer flights to Mexico through a deal with discount airline Volaris starting in 2010.
The US discounter says that it has taken a step toward creating a so-called codesharing partnership with that will allow the airlines to book passengers on each other's flights.
Volaris, which travels to destinations like Cancun, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Mexico City (via Toluca), Monterrey, and Guadalajara, plans to begin flying to the US in 2009 and partner with Southwest early the next year.
For Southwest customers this is great news. The discounter has made no bones about having international ambitions, and it announced earlier this year that it would cut a codeshare deal with Canadian discounter WestJet.
As Southwest and its two intended partners basically share similar business models, customers will be able to get discount flights all though North America from anywhere Southwest flies.
And who knows what's next? Europe? Farther south into Latin America? Stay tuned.

Now that “Hank” Paulson and the Bailout Buddies are about the only people with enough money for carefree travel these days, and luckily for them it's not to the Louisiana destination on the Travel front this week, perhaps we should simply consider moving. Not off the dime, since we have none, but “moving house,” as the Brits say. And not just Until This Whole Thing Blows Over. Forever, maybe. Moving far from our foreclosed houses, our failing industries, our buff SUVs, our 300 cable channels, our excruciating electoral productions (who will ever write the American “Bleak House” about that?) . . . but wait, that brings me to Panama.

Amid high fuel prices and a soft economy, American is moving to a la carte pricing starting next year. The AP is reporting that American, which was the first (but not the last) carrier to start charging for a first checked bag, plans to embrace the kind of "unbundling'' model that Air Canada has been practicing for about five years.
This is the way it works at Air Canada: Consumers choose from one of four fare levels. AP says the top two classes of tickets, Latitude and Executive classes, "are fully refundable and come with priority check-in, food and other goodies included." Basic Tango class "requires extra fees for upgrades such as a food voucher, advance seat selection, flight changes and airport lounge access," AP writes. You can also save a few bucks by electing to forgo frequent flier miles or by not checking a bag (all Air Canada customers can check at least two bags free).
I spoke with Ned Raynolds, an American spokesman, about the changes. He said he couldn't discuss any details but said it was a necessary move to fill seats and remain competitive. He also pointed out that the notion of al la carte pricing was not entirely new. "Largely,'' he said. "we're already there.''
And it's true. For the most part, it appears that the changes will not be stark. If you're flying coach, you're already paying for things like a refundable fare, food, and airport lounge access. There could be some shifts -- here, I'm thinking of having to pay for seat selection.
So the bottom line? More nickel and diming. Sure. But I don't think on its face that this is a huge shift for most consumers. I think you can, however, safely argue that by codifying the system what this does is make clear that this new era of proliferating and escalating fees, of trying to find out what travelers value so are willing to pay a premium for is here to stay.

Among the things I like best about JetBlue and Virgin America are their in-flight media offerings. But as I fly around I increasingly see travelers listening to their own iPods or MP3 players and watching films on portable players or laptops.
I guess the folks at Hudson News have noticed as well. The ubiquitous-in-airports Hudson chain in September started selling (renting, really) Flexplay self-destructing movie DVDs for $6 at most of its 350 newsstand locations.
Why self-destructing? The big advantage of this system is that you don't have to remember to return anything. Once you open your DVD's sealed pouch, a chemical process kicks in, which will allow you to watch the film as many times as you want for at least two days. After that, the quality degrades. Once the DVD is kicked, you recycle.
Each Hudson store will offer about two dozen DVD titles, refreshed with new films every week or two, according to Laura Samuels, a Hudson spokeswoman. Currently, Flexplay has licensing deals with Warner Home Video, Paramount Home Entertainment, and DreamWorks.
You can also order online from Flexplay and have discs mailed to you for $4.99, which includes shipping. Flexplay discs are also available at Staples.
The new Hudson/Flexplay system is convenient and "Mission Impossible'' cool, but it's not the only option for airport DVD rentals.

Attention, shoppers. For those of you who didn't get the memo, today is Friday and the start of the weekend. Many of you will spend some time in the next 48 hours in public houses while others will just hit the bahs.
It probably hasn't escaped your notice that Boston has become a more multicultural kind of place. So in the interest of providing our readers with news they can use, herein is a list of how to say, "cheers'' in 50 languages (with thanks to the folks at Matador Nights).
While it will be immediately useful to some, others, say, travelers, either actual or armchair, might also find the list useful or at least fun for your next trip, party, or even as a prompt for some educational role-playing with Your Significant Other.
Here's the list:

Blue skies on the Cape the other day, as Chilean president Michelle Bachelet thanked Ted Kennedy for helping end oppression in her country.

It's a long trip to the other end of the hemisphere, and Santiago, of course. But it is there that one can meet Bachelet among her people, and learn of why she was so thankful. For that, read here.

American Airlines says it has suspended flights to and from Bolivia due to the country's political crisis. The airline's Bolivian sales manager says that American's daily flights to and from the South American country are on hold as a "precaution for the security of our customers, personnel and airplanes."
Edson Jauregui said regular service will resume on October 2, though the airline will run a single flight from Miami to La Paz on Sept. 29.
American Airlines runs the only daily nonstop flights between the US and Bolivia. The company briefly suspended service when anti-government riots broke out across eastern Bolivia earlier this month. (AP)

Time for a gut check. There was a story out Thursday morning about a government report showing that average domestic airfares rose 4.4 percent in the first quarter. No surprise, right?
But if you take a closer look at the Department of Transportation press release you see that the agency notes that from the first quarter of 1995 to the first quarter of 2008 average domestic itinerary fares rose 11.7 percent while inflation surged 41 percent.
Average fares include round-trip and one-way fares, taxes and fees and exclude abnormally high reported prices as well as freebie frequent-flier deals.
So I took their numbers, adjusted for inflation, graphed it out, and discovered that there's actually been a trend downwards -- a 20 percent drop from '95. Witness my handiwork above.
Surprising? Not really. Think about it. One of the first times I flew, in the mid-1980s, I did it on the budget-pioneer People Express, which basically priced itself out of existence. A round-trip, coast-to-coast ticket was about $200, which is a bit over $400 in today's dollars. About three weeks ago, I flew from Boston to Sacramento for a total of $465.
Some will want to quibble about details (Is the Department of Transportation Domestic Average Itinerary Fares the best way to gauge prices? And is the Consumer Price Index the best way to compare rates of inflation? Are first quarter prices the best period for comparing numbers), but apply your own life experience to this. Think about a flight you took about 10 years ago. Then plug those numbers in the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator. Not look around to see what that fare is now. And be fair.
Bottom line: Airfares are on the rise and for good reasons (in '95, a gallon of regular gas set you back $1.10-$1.20). But, historically speaking, they aren't that high. Yet. So let's turn down the volume on the kvetching.

I was in an airport in Sacramento earlier this month, getting ready to board a flight back here. And for those who have not traveled in a while, let me make this clear: The airlines are deadly serious about new baggage rules, including size and weight. We're talking both checked and carry-on.
While checking in, there was a woman in front of me who had been told that her suitcase was about 5 pounds over and her options were either to make it lighter or pony up about $80. So she popped it open right there and started pulling out a travel iron, knick-knacks, various articles of clothing (I leave this to your vivid imagination). And got the bag down to fighting weight.
Similarly, I saw a man trying to carry on a questionable-sized suitcase who was forced to check it (and pay for a second bag).
Anyway, the Washington Post, compiled this list of the current rules and if you are planning soon it might be worthwhile printing, clipping, and saving on the fridge:

Those guys at the delightfully reprehensible Matador Nights. They define mensch. Why the lavish praise, you ask?
These guys have compiled a list of where you can find the world's sexiest -- outside of the United States. I know this is not the criteria by which most plan their travel. But frankly I have heard of worse reasons (I have a pal that has this Mickey Mouse thing...but that's for another day).
So, where can you find the sexiest women?
MENDOZA, Argentina: "Go out on a Friday or Saturday night in January and there’s a good chance seven out of ten girls you see at the bars will be insanely beautiful ... the majority epitomize what you would expect from a smoking hot Latina: Brunette, olive skin, sharp, dark eyes and hourglass curves.
HAVANA: "Tall women with striking features ... the music will stir your soul. This is no place to be a shy gentlemen, but if you can’t open up with a few words of Spanish you’re sunk.''
SEOUL: "If East Asian beauty floats your boat you’ve come to the right place. Don’t confuse westernized with western here -- Seoul style is singular and unique. And if anyone tells you that Korean women are docile and humble, you have been misinformed.''
Sun Lee of Seoul was Miss Korea in this year's Miss Universe pageant.

I'll fess up: Jet lag does me in. I just got back from a quick trip to the Golden State. There's only a three-hour time difference, but it takes me about a week to get so I'm not still squinting quizzically through bloodshot eyes at the sun at 8:30 a.m. on the T.
I'm willing to try anything. Reader's Digest (I once had an English professor who likened the reading of digested material to the consumption of already digested material) has some tips. Most of them involve trying to get your body ready for the changes in advance; some focus on your general well-being; some are fabulously ridiculous. Here are a few (along with my own insights):
ACCLIMATE. If you’re going to be gone longer than a couple of days, begin acclimating your body to the new time zone by altering your eating schedule three days before your plane takes off -- cool, dinner at 3 sharp.
AVOID AIRLINE FOOD. See above. It seems if you're going to be tricking your body by eating closer to the new time zone you don't want at airline repast to mess up your schedule. Besides the food usually sucks anyway.
CHUG. Stay hydrated, but avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they can dehydrate you, mess up your internal clock, make you unpopular with the seatmate you have to climb over to get to the restroom, and exaggerate jet lag symptoms.
HIT THE LINGUINE. Or any other carb-dense food at dinner on the night before your flight. Recent research suggests carbs boost your ability to sleep — particularly when you fly westward. Wonder whether a Sam's summer ale would count. Carbs is carbs, right?
REFRIGERATE. Particularly if you need to sleep on the plane. I call this the suspended animation tip. Use earplugs to cut noise, an eyeshade to kill the light, and turn the air-conditioning valve on high. A lower temperature lowers your body’s core temperature and signals it’s time for sleep.
Here's the whole, unadulterated list.

Just got an email from an old friend, long on the move. Seems he hasn't slowed down:

"hi tom,
yes, just got the confirmation for angola.
will be there from august 1 till september 17.
as I previously told u, immediately after that there will be the festival in salekhard, siberia (sept 21-27) and hopefully few more!
I hope u can wait for me for sardinia, in spring maybe...

what about new years in bariloche?
please try to come!

presently still in srbija, went to exit festival in novi sad, great fun, especially manu chao's concert.
will be in brcko for a few days this week on the way back to italy.

send news when u can!"

Not that there's anything wrong with settling in one place. Take, for example, this from an Argentine friend who has lived in recent years in Kabul, Paris and San Francisco, and now arrived in Rio:

"My little house in Ipanema has a patio and bbq and is 3 blocks from the beach – I'm getting back in shape running every morning to leave the gordos club!, although this evening will cook stuffed squid."

Would make a good first line of a novel, by the way...