Been on the road, on the sea an in the air

Yeh, right, I was actually away for a while. Seeing places, meeting people, the usual drill.

One thing struck me during the many check-ins, check-outs, check-ups, etc.
Not much has changed outside the unfree World since 911. Outside the US and EU things are very much the same way they were before.

A positive thing I noticed I noticed is that there seems to be a seed of consumer resistance.
Meaning, when people are unhappy about something, they no longer silently curse or loudly complain and then take whatever corporations throw at them anyway. Instead they begin voting with their feet.

Like in Nigeria, when the plane was six hours late and I rallied 40 fellow passengers to put their wallets on the table, pool their resources and stick it up the airline :o)
We chartered a plane and left two hours later. Screw that. Up yours.

I believe large corporations, just like democratic governments are not only utterly incompetent, but also force whatever whim down their customers' throat. Luckily, with corporations one can fight back with boycott and by ignoring them. Of course, you can do that wioth governments,too; I'm living proof, but it's far more difficult and for many other people it's even out of the question.
You know, like risk a pension when demanding that the government sticks to its mandate and stops annoying you as a matter of principle.

Another thing I noticed is how everything keeps getting cheaper everywhere. Of course, you gotta bargain and parlay, armtwist and blackmail, but things are getting cheaper.

Like, walk into a 5 star hotel and put $100 on the counter and demand a Deluxe room or Junior suite. They turn you down. Have a drink at the pool bar, tip well, and go back to the reception at the beginning of nightfall. Put $80 on the counter and demand a Deluxe room or Junior suite.
Chances are that they will now offer you a normal room at $100 or thereabouts.

Depending on how tired you are, you can now go to the restaurant, come back later and offer $60 for a Deluxe room.

If they still don't deal, go back to the bar, return when the bar closes and offer $50 for the Deluxe.
If they still don't play ball, wait for day break which is likely to be a couple of hours away, in the lobby.

Geddit? You spent about $50 on drinks and dinner in a five star place, used top notch bath rooms, had air con and a nice atmosphere and didn't waste a cent on the hotel.
And that's the worst case scenario. If it's off-season, you are quite likely to get a room for a song from the night receptionist.
And when that happens, stick around for a week :o))

I can't understand how some morons spend $200 on a room and the leave the hotel to eat for $20 outside, when they could have had the room for $100 and superb dinner for $35 instead.

Takes all sorts to populate a planet, I guess. And after all, someone has to build the hotels, wait on me, clean up my mess and make sure that I'm happy. Isn't it great to know that God created the planet and put all these people here to ensure your well being and entertainment?

I'll post more regularly again now.
Unless I feel like travelling again, of course.