New York Times "36 Hours in . . . " article parodied by Vanity Fair
Apr 16, 2013, 6:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 100
New York Times "36 Hours in . . . " article parodied by Vanity Fair
Memo to The New York Times: What Actually Happens During “36 Hours in. . .” a Foreign Country
I thought this was pretty funny. I'm a solo backpacker, but is that really how trips as a couple happen?
I thought this was pretty funny. I'm a solo backpacker, but is that really how trips as a couple happen?
Apr 16, 2013, 6:48 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
Memo to The New York Times: What Actually Happens During “36 Hours in. . .” a Foreign Country
I thought this was pretty funny. I'm a solo backpacker, but is that really how trips as a couple happen?
I thought this was pretty funny. I'm a solo backpacker, but is that really how trips as a couple happen?
Apr 16, 2013, 8:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP, SPG PLT, FPC PLT, Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond
Posts: 264
It's a funny article. Traveling to Far East Asia from NY can be tough due to time difference. It does take some will power to really get outside hotel rooms.
Apr 17, 2013, 10:45 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Scotland - ABZ
Programs: Qantas LTG, BA-Blue, KLM -Gold, SAS - Silver
Posts: 2,057
I presume the "36 hrs" format is just a way of condensing a lot of info gathered over a longer period. Sorry for the sense of humour failure. Also that parody lost its edge when it mentioned "exchanging currency" . Does anyone still do that?
Although they got the jetlag feeling spot on, more likely to be experienced by Americans travelling to Europe than Asia IMO. Go West is my motto.
Although they got the jetlag feeling spot on, more likely to be experienced by Americans travelling to Europe than Asia IMO. Go West is my motto.
Apr 17, 2013, 1:08 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 105
Oooh, but the sort of traveler depicted by VF is the type I'd never travel with!
I've always found the NYT's 36 Hours series to be sensible time-wise. They do leave enough time for sleep, and anyway, if you know you're only going to be in a country for 36 hours, you should put a bit of effort into making the most of your time, especially if you spent so much time getting there. Of course, I'd expect anyone spending 36 hours in a faraway country is doing a stopover or tacking on a couple days to a business trip... or is one of those crazy people on flyertalker.com doing mile runs.
I've always found the NYT's 36 Hours series to be sensible time-wise. They do leave enough time for sleep, and anyway, if you know you're only going to be in a country for 36 hours, you should put a bit of effort into making the most of your time, especially if you spent so much time getting there. Of course, I'd expect anyone spending 36 hours in a faraway country is doing a stopover or tacking on a couple days to a business trip... or is one of those crazy people on flyertalker.com doing mile runs.
Apr 17, 2013, 4:27 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 100
Ha ha, I find those kinds of articles are the most memorable. Where you feel, "Hey, this is so frighteningly accurate that the writer could have been spying on me."
Last edited by StreetSmartTraveler; Apr 18, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Apr 17, 2013, 4:54 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
It also makes me look at myself and laugh about my crankiness in some of those situations. It's easy to take yourself way too seriously.
Apr 18, 2013, 2:48 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: 127.0.0.1
Posts: 947
Memo to The New York Times: What Actually Happens During “36 Hours in. . .” a Foreign Country
I thought this was pretty funny. I'm a solo backpacker, but is that really how trips as a couple happen?
I thought this was pretty funny. I'm a solo backpacker, but is that really how trips as a couple happen?
Apr 18, 2013, 3:09 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Scotland - ABZ
Programs: Qantas LTG, BA-Blue, KLM -Gold, SAS - Silver
Posts: 2,057
Collapse into bed despite the bilateral earlier agreement that you would just force yourselves to stay awake today to “get on a normal sleep schedule.”
Best to stay outside and do the zombie walk thing. In your room, that bed beckons with an ever louder voice ....
Apr 18, 2013, 8:32 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 328
We have a similar agreement when moving into a new house as well
Apr 18, 2013, 10:39 am
#14
Formerly known as mmihalik
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Oregon
Posts: 109
I found the VF article quite funny.
As for the real NYTimes pieces, they would be better if the editors had actually traveled to some of these places. In the recent Taipei piece there is no mention that the Shilin District is miles away from the other markets described. It's not even on the map accompanying the article.
As with any other travel article, check things out beforehand.
Fortunately Google and Google Maps know almost everything! TripAdvisor, too.
As for the real NYTimes pieces, they would be better if the editors had actually traveled to some of these places. In the recent Taipei piece there is no mention that the Shilin District is miles away from the other markets described. It's not even on the map accompanying the article.
As with any other travel article, check things out beforehand.
Fortunately Google and Google Maps know almost everything! TripAdvisor, too.