I am not a political person. I live outside of the Beltway and work inside of it... but I am a New Yorker and politics on Long Island had more to do with what color BMW your friend would order for her sweet 16. If she decided for white... then the entire class would discuss on Monday if she made the right decision. However, there is one political conversation that I do get involved in and that has to do with our right to paid leave. (Note to my boss who is a subscriber... this has nothing to do with you... but, as a Brit living in the US... could you not talk some sense into this country? You are the BIG CHEESE of the Travel Channel. If you can't push this bill through... who can?)
ANYWAY, Do you know that the United States of America is the ONLY industrialized country on the face of the earth that does not guarentee time off to its workforce!! AND... in terms of the average amount of vacation time we are given (US gets an average of 13 days per year) I believe we rank right up there with Mexico who gives their workforce a measly 6 days! Now, I know that a lot of you are going to start writing me about how we are the US and we are supposed to work hard and that we are the best country... yadda.. yadda. I say YOU ARE ALL DEAD WRONG! People work harder when they are well rested. Families are closer and children are more secure when they have time to spend with their families. The absolute problem with this country is that our homes are being divided by divorce and our already hectic lives are becoming busier... with no real time for rest. We are also not connecting as a human race. People are watching the Discovery Channel (hiss...) instead of getting out and really exploring their world. They cannot take off a few days... let alone a week! Its crazy. They can't afford it and the government turns their heads on the problem!
What happens if you have 10 years with a company and you are now sitting with a solid 4 weeks of vacation time and suddenly you get laid off? When you start that new job... do you go back to 4 weeks? OR... do they put you at 2 weeks because you are not with the company long enough to warrant that much time off? What did you say? You do not even get two weeks? Oh, right... because we are the only country that does not guarentee time off. So, it is up to the employer. Right.
So, what do we do? DO we rally? I guess. Do we say screw the electric bill... I'm going to Disney World? I would not suggest it. But... we could make it a point to set some time and a bit of cash aside to get away from the daily grind.. even if it is just for a long weekend. (I would also get online and read about the bills going before congress and make your opinion count!)
Weekends are the biggest trend in travel these days. More people are taking a few long weekends instead of one long trip. They are extending their business travel and bringing along their families. They are also looking local... and relying on road trips and short flights so that they get the most time at their destination.
With the value of the US dollar plummeting (I believe the exchange for a Euro is 1.46 for every dollar and the pound is worth double the greenback!) it is time for all of us to look local for our travel. Another great travel option is Mexico where you can still get quite a bargain for your money! Canada seems like another good choice...but, think agaiin... the Canadian Dollar is also trading higher than the US dollar. Nice, ehe?
Another money saver and great for weekend travel is apartment or home renting instead of using pricey hotels! You know that I do this all the time and it is especially important when you have a family and you do not want to spend $5 for each glass of milk or apple juice you order from room service!! There are plenty of home and apartment rental companies online... so, shop around. There is also an article in Budget Magazine this month that tells you about a villa in Mexico that sleeps 8 and rents for $100 per day!!
So, there it is. My political rant in honor of Super Tuesday... but its also FAT TUESDAY and I have to get my ashes in the morning and start my lenten journey to Easter tomorrow. So, out of respect for the good people of New Orleans... I am going to get some ice cream and finish watching American Idol. Total Gluttony.
xoxo
Lori
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