The Titanic Awards

(2 votes, average: 10.00 out of 10)

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uncategorized Crowded, moscow, Subway

Name Robert Reid
Who? The US spokesperson and travel editor for Lonely Planet. He has written over two dozen Lonely Planet guidebooks (including Trans-Siberian Railway, Romania, New York City and Myanmar). Raised an Okie, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York. He blogs at reidontravel.com and lonelyplanet.com.
Age 41
Countries Visited 30+

Titanic Nominations
1. Worst Roads Romania is part of the EU but don’t tell that to the narrow roads and their potholes the size of Buicks. After a week’s worth of driving across Transylvania, I felt lucky getting out of there without a scrape — or a collision with a racing Dacia in the wrong lane on a blind curve. The best part though is watching the occasional horse cart, sweeping triumphantly off ancient paths on a hillside, across the highways, and up over other hills and out of sight. They have no use for the roads.
2. Worst Airport Link No place in the world rips off airport commuters more than the sweet NJ Transit to Newark’s airport — that is, IF you’re coming in from New York City. It’s  a plain ol’ commuter train (not much place for your bags) but charges $15 per person for the two-stop, 24-minute trip. That MIGHT be okay if it weren’t triple the cost if you get off a stop before or after the airport. Meanwhile, NJ Transit’s hour-long ride to the airport from Trenton, clear across Jersey? Yeah, it’s $9.25. Probably just payback for New York stealing Liberty Island.
3. Worst Executed Tourist Scam In Red Square, one guy dropped a wad of dollars at my feet and walked on ‘unaware.’ Another appeared, stooping to pick up the money, then — thoughtfully — turned to me and offered to share the booty. I turned and hurried off. Now, the kindness of Russians — in private quarters or on trains — can shame the most charitable people of the world. But in public places? Offering a few thousands dollars because I happened to be nearby? No way.
4. Worst Sports Fans A friend and I were impersonating Manitobans at a Canadian Football League game in Baltimore between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Baltimore CFLers (seriously, that was their name). Before we could get to our seats, Baltimore was up 14-0 and we were pelted with handfuls of ice and profane abuse from dads and young children (’look at the scoreboard assholes!’).
5. Worst Hotel I arrived at 3am on Christmas Eve to Meiktila, Myanmar, and all the private hotels were full.  I didn’t want to stay at a military one, so I lingered at a lakeside guesthouse run by a family. After a minute or two of foot shuffling, the staff told me to wait and cleared a tiny broom closet, put in a single bed with a thin mattress and sprayed and sprayed and sprayed for bugs. ‘Five dollars. No free breakfast though.’ I had to keep the door open all night for the fumes. It was ugly and cramped: a windowless box, with spiders immune to bug spray. But I was happy to have it.

Famous Travelers editor, lonely planet, moscow, romania, spokesperson

Name Grant Martin
Who? Editor-in-chief of the popular travel site Gadling.com. Between work and travel, he has only managed one Saturday night and two Friday nights in his bed this year.
Age 28
Countries Visited About 30

Titanic Nominations
Worst Hotel At only $2 per night, the hostel that I booked in Cairo seemed like a good idea, but I should have known that this price was for a reason. We were given the hard sell for coaches around the city, tours, and a wide range of souvenir crap as soon as we put our bags down. Not something you want after 26 hours straight of travel.
Worst Meal Hong Kong Dim Sum. I know, it’s an honor to eat traditional dim sum in Kowloon among the locals. Finding out that the pancake that I just ate was filled with pickled octopus, however, was just too much for my fragile stomach.
Worst Bus Ride Public transportation in from Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. I had broken my arm the week prior, was dozing in a Vicodin induced limbo and must have spent two hours sitting under my bag in the back of a stuffy public bus.
Worst Toilet Remember that hostel in Egypt? From some part of that experience I came down with a severe gastrointestinal infection. The worst toilet was thus the one that I left in a hotel in Luxor Egypt — three days into a month worth of IBS.
Worst Flight Arolineas Sosa is one of the few carriers that fly from the Honduras mainland to the Bay Islands. They have no websites, published schedules or seat assignments. Everyone tosses their bag onto the back row of seats when they get on the plane and, after takeoff, the pilot (who was sitting within kicking distance) opened up a newspaper.

Famous Travelers cairo, dim sum, egypt, gadling.com, grant martin, hong kong, moscow