Is King Cross (Sydney) a safe place to stay ?

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Sep 17th, 2002, 07:03 AM

#21

Melodie

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Liz: Responding to your rather hostile post -- Yes, I am a travel agent, I haven't made a secret of it; I've mentioned it in several postings. You state that I use "your correct email address"...well, that just confuses me! What other email address would I use but my own? You then go on to say "this forum is for people too give their biased (and I think you meant to say 'unbiased') recommendations i.e. a travel agent who has paid for a trip to someplace will of course recommend that place". Well, you've got that HALF right -- I DO pay for my travel; but then you seem to be implying that I get "freebies" so that would affect anything I would recommend. You can't have it both ways Liz. You go on to mention that your best friend is a travel agent - well, that's very surprising as you seem to know so little about how a travel agent works. When an agent goes on a Familiarization trip (fam or famil) it's to further our knowledge and education to better serve our clients by obtaining first hand information. We may stay in Hotel "A" and then do site inspections of 6 other hotels during the day. Are we going to love every hotel we see? Probably not. But this is where qualifying a client to match them with the property that best suits their needs comes in. A good example is that 2 years ago I was in New Zealand with my husband on vacation (which yes, I PAID for). I went on a tour that's used by every single NZ wholesaler. I thought it was dreadful. But that experience helps me determine if my client will like it. Also on your post "...the last thing she wants to get is information from brochures or from what she has been force fed". Well, I hardly even know HOW to respond to that...who is this that would be "force feeding" me exactly? You know, this is really just common sense -- my business is built on repeat clientle. My clients recommend me to others and they continue to have me plan their vacations over the years. It wouldn't be very wise from a business standpoint to recommend something a client wouldn't like. back. Furthermore, it's a question of morals. Some of my clients have saved up for their dream vacation or honeymoon; or they are elderly and perhaps this is the last time they'll be able to travel a long disance. These people entrusted their hard earned dollars to me to help them plan the best vacation possible, and I take that responsibility very seriously. And your last comment "be a good girl and go away". Well, Liz, I'm going to take that advice -- I'm leaving for Australia on Wednesday! I'll try to post a nice report when I return. Melodie Certified Aussie Specialist

Sep 17th, 2002, 04:06 PM

#22

Alan

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Melodie, I hope you have a great stay in Australia on this trip, and that it will give you lots of fuel for future good advice. But, in defence of Liz... you really should read her post more carefully before you presume to rubbish it. You misquoted her so badly on two occasions that you had her saying exactly the opposite of what she actually said, and I really can't let that pass. She said, in fact, that this forum is NOT for people to give their biassed opinions, not the reverse (which, after falsely attributing to her, you presumed to correct!) Further, she claimed that travel agents may have "had a paid-for trip"... in other words, they HAVEN'T had to pay their own way. You reversed her quote then, too, and used it against her. That's bad form, especially doing it to Liz, of all people, who is probably the most consistent and diligent poster this forum has had in the year or so that I have been snooping in it. When you do get back from your holiday, refreshed and recharged, you really should consider a retraction and an apology.

Sep 17th, 2002, 04:42 PM

#23

Melodie

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Hello Alan, Thanks for your reply; I printed out the post and went back to read it again. On the first comment Liz said "This forum is not for people to give their biased recommendations i.e. a travel agent who has had a paid for trip to some place will of course recomment that place". I read it as it's a forum for giving UNBIASED recommendations. And yes, I stand totally corrected, I read it as having paid for a trip, not a paid for trip. My mistake. So consider this an apology. And now, off to pack! Melodie

Sep 17th, 2002, 05:45 PM

#24

Mina

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Hm. I think considering that Melodie has been attacked here a couple of times, she has remained pretty civil. She has obviously apologized for misquoting Liz. But who says she can't post? She apparently has a deep interest in Australia. One may say it's because she makes money on it, but I'm sure she could have chosen to be a specialist for somewhere else. Her posts here, and elsewhere I've seen are based on personal experience. (I doubt that she's regurgitating seeing "person with pants hanging waaayyy low and an unlit cigarette sticking in his ear" from a brochure. Yes, that experience may have been paid for, but I believe that her recommendations are truly based on her personal preferences. I doubt she could get a kickback from recommending someplace here, since she hasn't said anything like "Yo! Tell 'em Melodie from Fodor's sent ya!" I haven't seen her solicit someone to email her. Her signature "certified aussie specialist" may be unnecessary, but that doesn't mean she's out to get business here. I realize that fodors says no commercial advertising, but does that really mean a travel agent can't put in her two cents of what she thinks about a place? I'm sure 15 billion arguments can be made as to how Melodie could techincally get business from what she's doing here, even though she's not outright soliciting it. She's been posting for awhile, and she's always said she's an aussie specialist. Didn't seem to bother anyone before. Of course I think Liz gives valuable advice. Most days I get a kick out her sassiness. All of us have good days and bad ones...and I think asking Melodie to "be a good girl and go away" was one of her more snippy replies. Do I think she should apologize? Hell, I don't care...who I am to say who should apologize for what! Which brings me to the age old fodors question (and one you're probably asking me right now): What the f@#&*! does this have to do with travel???? Cheers, Mina

Sep 17th, 2002, 05:48 PM

#25

Mina

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P.S. A funny footnote. To show you what little life I had, I did a quick search and stumbled upon this post. Liz and Melodie seemed to have only nice words for each other at one point....oh oh oh, cain't we all jes git along? Author: The real LizF ([email protected]) Date: 12/15/2001, 12:52 am Message: Now I am upset. I hope it doesn't look like I am monopolizing this board......does it? My excuse is that I work in the hospitality/tourism industry, own a B&B and am old and grey and I have lived in every state of Australia and travelled the rest of them together with every other place on the globe that I have been able to get to but mainly I am passionate about Australia and hope that people get to see and feel the "real" Australia and not the one that seems to be in the minds of overseas people because of our past poor record of promoting ourselves properly. I am just back from California and every person I met asked me about Steve Irwin ( Crocodile Hunter) and asked were all those crawling things everywhere and where in the "outback" did he have his zoo?..........sigh! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Jean ([email protected]) Date: 12/15/2001, 09:21 am Message: Sorry that I got you in trouble, Liz. I posted the reply under your name instead of mine. We do appreciate your help and have enjoyed your other replies which have been helpful. Keep them coming. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Melodie ([email protected]) Date: 12/25/2001, 03:06 am Message: Gee, I was going to say the same thing about Liz F....and I would have bet money she was involved in tourism in some way. Of course I think she's absolutely brilliant, as her comments so closely parallel what I would say

Liz, if I'd only known you were going to be visiting California I would have met you for a drink - my shout! Melodie -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author: LizF ([email protected]) Date: 12/25/2001, 04:42 am Message: Melodie I will take a rain-check on that drink and take you up on it next time I am in California. Many thanks Melodie for your support - and offer. That offer stands for this end of the world too for you. Merry Christmas all Liz *say it with me*...Mina has no life, Mina has no liiiiiiife.....

Sep 17th, 2002, 10:09 PM

#26

liz

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No I won't say that "Mina has no life" what I will say is that "Mina has been drinking........lots" Neither will I back down from saying that people who are in the travel industry should NOT make that known along with their email address. It smacks of advertising and touting for trade off these boards. For what it is worth I was actually granted the use of Fodor's Logo for my web-site when I owned a B&B and I did not use it as I prefer to "go it alone" and neither did I ever tell anyone about my B&B so that they would think I was asking them to stay with me. I did however invite people from overseas to come and introduce themselves and I would take them around the area...free! I would not mind Melodie giving information if she didn't sign herself as a Certified Aussie Specialist or have her real email address because there is no way anyone can check up on just what she does or does not know about the tourist industry in Australia. So please keep these boards advertisement free else we will have every Travel Agent in the world getting on to them for free advertising.

Sep 18th, 2002, 08:44 AM

#27

Mina

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Liz, you are entirely wrong. I have not been drinking a lot. That will happen when I leave for Ireland next Friday. ;-) Then my fodors posts will look something like this... Hotels in Sidknee??..,sdjy=aalyqieyxyluycwt...sdh...guh...so drunk....... Have a great day y'all.

Sep 18th, 2002, 05:01 PM

#28

Alan

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Mina, have a great time, but every now and then, can you call into an Irish internet cafe and send us a brief report? How I envy you! (This thread has sort of got way off the track of the originasl post by "Ton", hasn't it? I guess by now he has had his stay in the Cross and has gone home, a sadder but wiser man.)

Sep 18th, 2002, 09:24 PM

#29

Mina

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Alan, you are probably right about Ton. I just know that while it may be fun to take a peek around, I stay away from Kings Cross in Sydney AND London as far as lodging goes! Actually, I am going to take my computer with me (it's very light...only 2 pounds) as I write travelogues during the trip. Traveling alone allows you that freedom. I did several stories while I was in Australia to my friends and colleagues (and another time skiing alone in Park City, Utah) and now they're asking for more (they like to see all the crap that happens to me). I never posted it here, as it's a bit politically incorrect and I thought I'd get blasted for it. So if you'd like to be on the Ireland email list, I'd be happy to include you. I take it your posted email is valid? And because you are always so diplomatic and so kind on this board, I'd even send you last year's Australia stories (which I'm a bit territorial over...I'm a strange bird that way). Apologies for hijacking this thread from the original poster as well.

Sep 19th, 2002, 03:46 AM

#30

Alan

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Hi, Mina! If what you are writing is politically incorrect, you should include Liz in the list of recipients also... she'd lap it up, as she's a bit politically incorrect herself. I thank you for including me, and yes, my email address is really mine. All my ancestors come from Ireland.... in fact, my great-great etc grandfather was the first sovereign of Belfast, back in around 1600. So I have always wanted to go to Ireland and try to reclaim the title. My daughter went, last year, but ended up in an IRA hotel, and when she casually mentioned that she had come to chase up the Pottingers, she caused such a stir that she wondered if she would get out of there alive! She didn't, therefore, get offered the job of Queen of Belfast!Anyway, this has nothing to do with travel, and this thread is now as long as some on the USA board... so, vaya con dios (that's all the Irish I know!)

Sep 19th, 2002, 01:05 PM

#31

liz

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Alan, Mina et al There is a little book on Political incorrectness - a lot of the contributions are mine!!

Sep 19th, 2002, 09:49 PM

#32

Mina

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Alan, that's some interesting history! I'm not going up to Belfast, so unfortunately, I can't claim your rightful throne for you (I'm not sure how the Irish would react to some crazy Korean nut going on about reclaiming the nice-fodors-man-she's-never-met's rightful title anyway). But since I'm having a pint for Debbie, I'll have one for you too. BTW, I did send you my trip report (and to you Debbie as well). Go easy on me.

Have a great weekend.

Sep 21st, 2002, 05:17 PM

#33

Patti

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Mina Have a wonderful time in Ireland!!! If you're near Bunratty Castle and Shannon stop off at Eileen Wolfe's B & B She has such a wonderful place!!. Remember: You can please some of the people Some of the time. You and please all of the people some of the time. But you can't please all of the people all of the time. We'll miss your notes.

Sep 21st, 2002, 10:03 PM

#34

Mina

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Thank you Patti...even though I've never met anyone on this forum, it is nice to have the well wishes. I'll post on the Europe forum when I return. Have a delightful week....

Sep 24th, 2002, 05:21 PM

#35

Priscilla

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We stayed near Kings Cross at the Woolloomooloo Hotel 2 years ago. The rooms -- really apartments -- are huge and very very nice. We walked up to the subway sometimes and also took the bus from the end of the street near the Navy Base. We had our two adult daughters, son-in-law, and two grandchildren (8 and 2) with us. We survived quite nicely. Saw some interesting people, but nothing really out of line. Perhaps we were not really in the area you are speaking of.

Oct 16th, 2002, 06:30 PM

#36

Melodie

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Mina, Thank you for your kind words, they are most appreciated. I hope you had a wonderful time in Ireland (a place on my list of places to travel some day). Eventually I will get around to posting a trip report...I've been back a few weeks now catching up on clients, mail, email and of course, filing all the brochures I picked up in my travels. (the curse of the travel agent)

Regards, Melodie

Oct 16th, 2002, 09:43 PM

#37

Mina

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Melodie: I was only stating my opinion. However, you are welcome.

I had an unbelievable time in Ireland. I am working on a report for the Europe board, just for fun. I've posted one on Afternoon Tea (London) there already. Welcome back...I hope you are refreshed and ready to go back to work (yes yes, I know...har har.)