The Best Time To Travel

Here is an interesting CNBC article that my son forwarded to me:

The Best Time To Travel: During A Recession

The Memphis/New Orleans Tour

For those who have heard the carts on Triple R and want to know the costs here are the details:

April 18 – May 4: Memphis/Clarksdale/New Orleans – 16 nights – $3750 + airfares

This includes all your museum entries, entry to all seven days of JazzFest, a welcome dinner in New Orleans and all accommodation.

April 24 – May: New Orleans Jazz Fest – 11 Nights – $2575 + airfares.

All costs are based twin share accommodation.

We can only take a limited number to Memphis but you always join us in New Orleans, spend 11 nights in the Crescent City and enjoy Jazz Fest, the gigs and the food in the company of like-minded music lovers.

You must have travel insurance and no pre-existing conditions which would enable the insurance company to invalidate your insurance.

Please let us know if you want us to book your airfares and we will get you the cheapest price we can.

For those newcomers, I need to meet you and have a chat before accepting the booking.

Neil Young Added To Jazz Fest Line-Up!

New Orleans, LA (February 12, 2009) Here’s the good news: Rock superstar Neil Young has been added to the overflowing music lineup of the 40th anniversary New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Presented by Shell, organizers announced today. On the heels of last week’s announcement of Bon Jovi (not so good news) appearing at the upcoming Festival, Neil Young has now been confirmed for his first-ever Jazz Fest appearance, performing on Sunday, May 3. The 2009 Jazz Fest is scheduled for April 24-26 & April 30-May 3 at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

Here’s the bad news: In other talent news, the Festival announced that Aretha Franklin, previously scheduled for May 3, will not appear.

Neil Young and his band join Wynton Marsalis, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Sugarland, Joe Cocker, Ben Harper, Tony Bennett, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kings of Leon, Neville Brothers, Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, Allen Toussaint, The O’Jays, Erykah Badu, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Dr. John plus hundreds of others previously announced to appear at the historic edition of the Festival.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation presents the 2009 Gala on Thursday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. Annually selling out, this year’s gala event will take place in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and spotlight the famed New Orleans music venue The Dew Drop Inn. Performing as part of the “The Dew Drop Inn Revisited All-Stars” will be Allen Toussaint, Eddie Bo, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Robert Parker, and Wanda Rouzan along with The N’Awlins All-Stars. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue and the TBC Brass Band are also scheduled to perform at the event.

Leonard Cohen Doco

There is a terrific documentary on Leonard Cohen at Radio National’s Into The Music page:

If It Be Your Will

The documentary was made by Norwegian producer Kari Hesthamar.

You can also read her interview with Marianne Ihlen – Leonard’s muse – at:

Marianne And Leonard

Our Trip Just Got Cheaper!

It was great to meet with you all last Saturday and I am feeling very enthusiastic about the trip. All the airfares should be booked by Monday and I will let you know details as soon as we have them. 

Thanks to Kevin Rudd we should all get a $950 present just prior to leaving for the USA. I like to think of this as a subsidy for our music tour as we will be investing locally in airfares and doing our part for the economy. Not only that we will be helping the global economy by going on holidays. I am sure that Kev had us in mind when he formulated his latest plan. I am sure he would want us to spend money on having a great time.

As for when to buy US dollars, that is anybody’s guess but I reckon you might think about buying some now and hedging your bets. Currently it is hovering around US0.65. If you know an economist who can tell us what the dollar is going to do please let me know.

I am pleased to see that George Soros, one of the world’s richest people, said last week that he didn’t have a clue what was going to happen. But as someone said to me, George is only the 101st richest person in the world, what would he know?

I am compiling a new list of handy hints and intend to update the blog site on a regular basis so, please check back every few days. 

I would encourage you to add comments, ask questions etc.