Tomorrow I'll head to Eleuthera for three nights with Matt Armendariz. We'll be scouring the incredibly long and skinny Bahamian island for treasures. Matt and I will return with a collaborative project, and I'll also write a few posts suggesting how budget-minded travelers can spend a few days in the Bahamas without going broke.
Also on my mind...
1. On Friday, I looked at Ryanair and SkyEurope's December statistics in comparison. It's not just the Irish and Slovak budget airlines that are grappling with falling load factors. In December 2007 (against December 2006 numbers) easyJet's load factor fell 2.3 percent, Aer Lingus saw a 4.6 percent slip, and Air France-KLM stumbled .8 percent. See this MarketWatch piece (via Air Scoop) for more information.
2. The December/January Monocle, which has been around for weeks and weeks and really shouldn't be cited in a blog, came with a "Travel Top Fifty 2007/8" booklet. As one might expect, Monocle's universe is no budget paradise, but it is seldom about spending money for the sake of spending money. This translates into a true interest in value and some surprisingly inexpensive recommendations. To wit: two family-run hotels in Barbiano near Bolzano, Bad Dreikirchen and Briol. Rooms at Bad Dreikirchen start at €54 per person including half-board in low-season; at Briol, rooms start at €60 per day per person, also including half-board. Very nice. I've been sensing an upcoming moment for Süd Tirol for a while; this sort of coverage of glamorous yet affordable properties can't hurt.
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