Foreign Travel?

[California]

WeWe were so disappointed in down town SF as to how run down it was and how many homeless wandering the streets, most of the stores by the Palace hotel/Market st. were closed down.

Downtown SF feels like it's dying with all the Market Street flagship stores closing - same as is happening with suburban malls all over the US, as people shift to online shopping.

We avoided Downtown and Market St, aside from changing busses there. (and admiring the odd vintage trolleys). But Chinatown, immediately adjacent, was full of life and crowded with tourists, no change from when I used to ride my BSA over from Berkeley many years ago.

Younger daughter lived in SF a couple of years ago and took us to brunch over in the Mission district, the partly Hispanic restaurant/shopping corridor. Like Chinatown, bustling with activity and cheerful people. She switched to WorkFromHome and now lives in the East Bay an hour away. She says walking from BART across Market to her office in the business district can be unpleasant but she doesn't feel threatened.

For our adventure last month we were mostly on the northern perimeter of the City in tourist areas and didn't see any of the gritty urban problems. That lighthearted video I linked illustrates SF from this perspective.

Getting back to the theme of this thread - the thread started with realistic concerns over safety in traveling to foreign lands. There are people who are told in their news that SF is awful, dangerous,backward, foreign relative to America as they know it, whatever. My posts above are intended as a counter to that perspective. My guest enjoyed her Barbie adventure in San Francisco. Again, see the linked video to see this perspective.

 

[ultrarunner]

If you don’t like crowds SF is getting better…

I have friends on SF… I doubt they will ever leave but even they said their non SF friends no longer want to come to SF.

This year had a few European visitors stay with me and they used BART to get to SF and had a great time… saw many things and also asked questions such as why so much vacant commercial space and homeless around BART stations…

 

[rontaki]

SF- hoisted on it's own Salesforce tower. SF is trying to be New York, and succeeding in the wrong ways - skyscrapers, dregs on two legs. I used to live across the bay from SF, and didn't really enjoy the slog across the bridge nor the urban decay even then beginning to take over in SF. Flowers wilt, so does flower power.

 

[caver]

I'm dealing with a travel agent for a trip overseas to a distant tropical island. I'm almost to the point of forfeiting my $35 deposit and doing it myself. A friend swears by using chatgpt for a rough idea of cost. The previous conversation was implying the quote they sent me was correct. It wasn't correct per conversation with another office personnel.

 

[kenmbz]

I'm dealing with a travel agent for a trip overseas to a distant tropical island. I'm almost to the point of forfeiting my $35 deposit and doing it myself. A friend swears by using chatgpt for a rough idea of cost. The previous conversation was implying the quote they sent me was correct. It wasn't correct per conversation with another office personnel.

We do all our own planning and then buy local tours.
In one trip we saved $200/night (Polynesia) over a travel agent price and about $5000 for a whole trip (South Africa).
Everything is on line and you can price them yourselves.

The travel agents have to pay themselves and airline ticket fees do not get them very many $ any more.

If you are staying a week or more and don't care about room service, renting an apartment or house can save huge $.

 

[caver]

The agent claims they get their payback from resorts but I have ran loose numbers and can get a better price. Also, for some reason they bumped my travel month in the last go-around to Sept which is entering the pricier time of year. I told them before I don't care if it's the rainy season. I lived on Guam for 15 months so can handle rain.

Back in the late 90's I was still using a local travel agent for flights. She could find better deals that i couldn't find on Expedia. Plus she was good at catching tight connections which could easily become a missed connection when a flight gets delayed.

 

[Quaffer]

the thread started with realistic concerns over safety in traveling to foreign lands. There are people who are told in their news that SF is awful, dangerous,backward, foreign relative to America as they know it, whatever. My posts above are intended as a counter to that perspective.

Great job:

 

[JTKub]

When I cancelled my Philippine trip over safety concerns I can’t help but thinking I may have over reacted.

The people telling me not to go are hospital co-workers from the Philippines…

I finally said ok… I will cancel and just stay home in East Oakland California where I know I am safe!

The same people said you live in Oakland… we never go to Oakland!!!

My 22yr/old son much to my dismay, began communicating with a Filipino gal online when he (both) were 18. He's been there to visit her 4-5x and goes for 1-2 months at a time, having to quit a job here every time which is whole 'nother point of contention for me. He stays with her and her family in the Mabalcat City/Magalang area. I now have a 1yr old grandson there that my wife and I have only interacted with on facetime, etc at this point. The whole family is very sweet and excellent to My son that has little to offer. He is there now for a visit and to hopefully tie the knot with her to make things official. I would like him, mom and baby to come here, but it's been a struggle. Anyhoo.. Welcome to my Philippines story and my life. LOL