Mobissimo

If you're a globetrotter suffering from massive cell phone roaming bills, Rebtel service might just be your savior. Sign up for the service, add your international friends to the list, and a local number is generated for you to call them, free of international charges. Don't believe us? Read more at the UK Guardian, a source far more authoritative than us or visit the Rebtel site directly to find out more.

Lots of places to find high quality city audio tours for your MP3 Player. iAudioguide.com has them for for several European cities including Barcelona, London, Paris and Brussels. The Buenos Aires Tourism board has produced a series of 12 audio tours voiced by famous artists that includes music, speeches, and cultural comments. Each tour also has a printable map. And finally, Orbitz has launched a series of what's hot podcasts for NY, San Francisco, and LA.

Seems Northwest is not the turkey friendly airline we imagined. They were entrusted with the care of some 11,500 little turkey chicks for a flight from Detroit to San Francisco and they managed to kill 9,000 of them. Yup, 9,000 little baby turkeys gone. So sad. Think of all the Thanksgiving tables they could have graced. So next time an airline loses your luggage, remember the little turkeys and stop complaining. It could have been worse. Much worse. From Inside Bay Area:

Northwest Airlines, in a statement released Monday, apologized for the mishandling of a shipment of commercial turkey chicks that resulted in their deaths in a flight bound for the Bay Area some two weeks ago.

More than 9,000 turkey chicks died July 13 on a Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit to San Francisco International Airport. Another 2,000 chicks died on a July 19 Air Canada flight, but Northwest disavows any responsibility for that shipment.

"In the case of a July 13 shipment of day-old turkey chicks from Detroit to San Francisco, the shipment was not properly handled by Northwest Cargo," Northwest Airlines spokesman Dean Breest said in the statement.

"Northwest has apologized to the shipper," he added.

The turkey chicks were shipped by Canada's Hybrid Turkeys. They were to be sent to Zacky Farms in Fresno, the Peninsula Humane Society reported.

According to the PHS, Hybrid Turkeys drove 144 boxes of turkeys, each containing 80 chicks, to Detroit in a climate-controlled truck.

The company reportedly instructed Northwest Airlines to divide the 144 boxes between two flights bound for SFO; once at SFO, the young turkeys would be placed in another climate-controlled truck and driven to Fresno.

However, all 144 boxes were shipped on one flight, resulting in the deaths of most of the turkey chicks. The turkeys died as a result of overcrowding, according to PHS spokesman Scott Delucchi.

Ok, so it looks strange but it seems like good solution for laptop back problems. The strap obviously distributes the weight across you shoulders to make carrying your laptop more ergonomically. This bag retails for $200 from OGIO.

Space Adventures, one of the private space companies just announced it will now allow it's space vacationers to take walks:

Space Adventures, Ltd., the world's leading space experiences company, announced today that orbital spaceflight clients can now participate in a spacewalk during their stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Also known as an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), those clients interested in the spacewalk option have the availability to spend up to 1.5 hours outside of the space station.

Visit Space Adentures to book your trip.

Well, it's summer and fares are always expensive, even though it's winter down there, also, gas prices are high. Mexico City is cheap though, though being in DF this time of year is about as much fun as rolling around in steak sauce and going to the dog pound.

For flights departing 08/01 returning 08/09

Departure City	Arrival City	Airfare	% Change
San Francisco (SFO)	Rio de Janeiro (GIG)	$1063	16.79%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Buenos Aires (EZE)	$1071	12.40%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Sao Paulo (GRU)	$1037	18.78%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Santiago (SCL)	$992	14.31%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Caracas (CCS)	$777	8.67%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	San Jose (CR) (SJO)	$597	10.62%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Panama City (PTY)	$622	-3.73%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Mexico City (MEX)	$535	28.71%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Lima (LIM)	$868	23.48%	Search
San Francisco (SFO)	Quito (UIO)	$849	12.92%	Search
Average		$738	14.05%

San Sebastián has garnered a certain popularity recently.  It's location on the train from Paris to Madrid makes it a convenient stop for backpackers going south.  A resurgence in Spanish cuisine has been led by Basque chefs, bringing many foodies to the city as well as the building of the Kursaal Exhibition Hall that hosts the growing San Sebastian film festival.

WHY GO NOW San Sebastián lies at the heart of the long-contested Basque region of Spain, suppressed under Franco and a locus of secessionist tensions for over a generation. The militant Basque separatist group ETA — Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (Basque Homeland and Freedom) — announced a cease-fire in March, ending 38 years of violence. Thousands protested in Madrid in early June after Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero’s government agreed to talks with ETA. Among contested issues are the demands of Basque families looking for good-faith prisoner releases — prisoners, other Spaniards say, who were convicted of bombings and assasinations.

Enough about the ETA.  I've been going for almost 2 decades and San Sebastian will always be one of my favourite places.  Apart from the proliferation of dirty backpackers, the english speaking kids handing out flyers to pubs, to boardwalk being filled with less and less formally dressed people, San Sebastian seems to remain impervious to change.  On a visit a month ago, the TGV is planning on stopping in San Sebastian instead of Irun, effectly opening up SS to even more tourism.  Basques are inherently close-knit (read ethanocentric) so anything that brings more outsiders in is not welcome.  However, there is no time like the present to go.  A MobiCombo to San Sebastian would be the best bet to get there from the U.S.  Fly to London, then take Ryanair to Biarritz (40kms away) or easyJet to Bilbao (120kms away).  This combo can save you over $300 on a direct flight.  Only Mobissimo searches all the European low cost airlines to make your travel easier.

If you haven't done so already, head on over to Visit Britain's website and register for a chance to win a free trip to Britain. Bangers and mash, bitters, the Queen Mother, some good curry. What more could you ask for?

Forget snakes on the plane, it's evidently mice we have to worry about. Seems AA has a bit of a rodent problem and the scary thing is the FAA says it's ok:

The whistleblower explained, "There's feces all along this edge right here. It's throughout the whole aircraft."

The whistle blower said workers found nests in air vents and dead mice in emergency oxygen masks. When mice would get hungry, they ate insulation and chewed through wires.

On May 5, 2006, a caller reported a mouse infestation. The complaint went on to say that mice chewed through two wires. The caller alleged American Airlines was doing nothing about eradicating the mice.

On May 10, 2006, a caller reported that mice were building nests near the oxygen generators.

The whistleblower said, "Anywhere from 900 to 1,000 (mice) could be on this aircraft."

That's the estimate exterminators gave workers but American Airlines disputes that number. In a written statement the airline admits to finding only 17 live mice.

Mel Burkhardt has been an aviation expert for more than 30 years. He's a retired pilot and current crash scene investigator.

He said mice on airplanes "involves a very severe hazard to the safety of the airplane and the people on board."

We showed Burkardt the hidden camera video.

"The potential for the catastrophic mishap is there and if you have one mouse, you have two. (If) you have two, you have a family," he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration says American Airlines did nothing wrong because airlines do not have to report rodent infestations unless the rodents affect the mechanics.

Via KSDK Newschannel 5.

Related Entries:

• Snakes On A Plane!

Boeing has released an artist's renderings of the Boeing 747-8. It is started the program this year after receiving its first order from Nippon Cargo Airlines. Looks like a big cartoon plane to us. We like. From the Boeing site:

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today officially launched the new Boeing 747-8 program, which includes the 747-8 Intercontinental passenger airplane and the 747-8 Freighter airplane.

Cargolux, based in Luxembourg, has ordered 10 747-8 Freighters and will take delivery of the first 747-8F in third-quarter 2009. It also holds purchase rights for 10 additional airplanes. Cargolux currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of 13 747-400 freighters.

Nippon Cargo Airlines, based in Japan, has ordered eight 747-8 Freighters and will receive its first airplane in fourth-quarter 2009. The airline also acquired options for six additional airplanes. Nippon Cargo currently operates 13 747 freighters and has six more 747-400Fs on order.

   

Can you tell it's plug Activity Search week? But seriously, it's a cool tool. We've been to Brazil, Senegal, Cuba, and India in two weeks all under $199. OK, no we haven't but we've seen tickets for $198 to Costa Rica from SFO and $250 to Mazatlan, so we're not that far off. Give it a shot. Head on over to Activity search, type in your origin city and select any of the six regions in the pull down including Africa/Middle East, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised when you find those flights to Senegal for $25 plus taxes and airport fees.

If you haven't checked out the new pricing feature we've rolled out in activity search, give it a shot. It's truly addicting. Especially if you're trying to find a last minute beach vacation or fly into Europe, Asia, Latin America, or the Middle East. The latest features displays the lowest price in the last two weeks for any origin to any activity like beaches or region like Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East, etc. Here are some quick links for the top 20 cities in the United States to beach destinations:

Beach Destinations From

1. Los Angeles - Mazatlan, $298
2. New York - Fort Lauderdale, $158
3. Atlanta - Cancun, $289
   
4. San Francisco - Honolulu, $288
   
5. Boston - Nassau, $259
6. Denver - Miami, $214
7. Seattle - San Diego, $284
8. Chicago - Cancun, $257
9. Dallas - Los Angeles, $242
10. Minneapolis - Cancun, $293
11. Philadelphia - San Juan, $207
12. Detroit - Grand Cayman, $278
13. Washington - Puerto Vallarta, $291
14. Miami - Kingston, $267
15. San Diego - Ft. Lauderdale, $239
    
16. Phoenix - Miami, $249
    
17. Portland - San Diego, $248
    
18. Orlando - Cancun, $233
19. Baltimore - Miami, $157
    
20. Fort Lauderdale - Kingston, $277

We've written about EOS before, but now the success of their launch has created the need for another route. There are now two flights daily, except Saturday on EOS, so you can make that business meeting in London at either 7a or 9a. Wow.

PURCHASE, N.Y., July 10, 2006 – With its popularity among business travelers continuing to climb, including June load factors at 72%, Eos Airlines today announced the schedule for its second daily flight between New York and London. The new service will commence on September 8th, 2006, with flights departing twice daily, six days per week (Sunday through Friday), from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and London’s Stansted Airport. On Saturdays, Eos will operate one flight daily from each airport.

EOS does have another competitor, MaxJet, which provides all business service from NYC and Washington D.C. to London. We at Mobissimo have not sampled the fine service both of these carriers provide, but rest assured that both take your comfort very seriously. In addition, business fares are around $1,200 to $3,250 one way on both carriers, not a bad price to arrive at your meeting tanned, rested, and ready.

If you've travelled to India you're familiar with these 3-wheeled taxis, they're everywhere. If you've never ridden one before, prepare for a wild ride because evidently they're coming to England. Brighton first, then Central London and other cities later in the year. 

LIKE many backpackers who have whizzed around gridlocked Asian cities in tuk-tuks, Dominic Ponniah wondered whether the motorised rickshaws could be the solution for Britain’s congested streets.

The three-wheeled mopeds, named after the sound of the stuttering two-stroke engines used in early versions, are notorious for weaving at death-defying speeds through narrow gaps in the traffic. With the wind in your face and the accompanying sense of vulnerability, the top speed of 35mph feels like twice that.

Despite their poor reputation for safety, Mr Ponniah, 26, became convinced that tuk-tuks would catch on in Britain, especially if he added a few reassuring features such as roll bars, side-impact protection and seatbelts.

He has imported 12 from Pune in India and today begins Britain’s first tuk-tuk service in Brighton. A service for Central London is planned for next year, followed by others in Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

More at TimeOnline.