For more stories like this, check out The Chronicle’s weekly Travel newsletter! Sign up here. On Feb. 21, days after Amazon backed out of its plan to stage a second headquarters in New York City, the mayor of San Luis Obispo issued a statement lambasting the online retailer for “destroying our downtowns and having a negative impact on our communities.” Not only was Amazon hurting local retailers, Mayor Heidi Harmon wrote, but its presence also weakened the “social glue that holds us together.” It wasn’t the first time SLO’s civic leader had taken aim at the web giant, which has been blamed for undermining brick-and-mortars around the country for years. A couple of weeks earlier, Harmon had tweeted a photo showing her cutting her Amazon Prime card in half with scissors. In protest, she pledged to quit patronizing the platform and invited civic leaders across the U.S. to do the same. “Mayors really shouldn’t be personally utilizing … [Read more...] about Can ‘SLO life’ survive when tech comes to town?
Travel
Singapore and Bali, wrapped into a single tour
Price: From $1,790 per person, double occupancy. Includes accommodations, daily breakfasts and two lunches, admission fees and tour guides. International airfare not included. … [Read more...] about Singapore and Bali, wrapped into a single tour
$950 round trip from LAX to Darwin, Australia, on Qantas
If you’ve had your eye on an Australian destination that’s radically different from, say, Sydney, consider Darwin, about 2,400 miles north of Sydney. This city, capital of the Northern Territory, has about 75,000 residents. … [Read more...] about $950 round trip from LAX to Darwin, Australia, on Qantas
Organizers want to ‘take the Fyre Festival’ out of Burning Man
By Michelle Robertson, SFGATE Published 12:44 pm PDT, Thursday, May 23, 2019 A participant at Burning Man 2018. A participant at Burning Man 2018. Photo: Sidney Erthal / Burning Man Photo: Sidney Erthal / Burning Man Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Image 1 of 24 A participant at Burning Man 2018. A participant at Burning Man 2018. Photo: Sidney Erthal / Burning Man Organizers want to 'take the Fyre Festival' out of Burning Man 1 / 24 Back to Gallery The dust-blown playa, wacky costumes and outlandish installations well-associated with Burning Man are nothing if not photogenic. But that's beside the point, according to one seasoned Burner. In a post on a prolific Burning Man blog … [Read more...] about Organizers want to ‘take the Fyre Festival’ out of Burning Man
10 common travel scams
Andrea Sachs, The Washington Post Published 9:54 am PDT, Thursday, May 23, 2019 Corrupt cabbies Corrupt cabbies Photo: Washington Post Photo By Bill O'Leary Photo: Washington Post Photo By Bill O'Leary Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Image 1 of 13 Corrupt cabbies Corrupt cabbies Photo: Washington Post Photo By Bill O'Leary 10 common travel scams - and how to avoid them 1 / 13 Back to Gallery Earlier this spring, I watched a young, solemn man dressed like a Buddhist monk approach a tourist on the National Mall. He showed him a petition to build a temple and slid a bracelet made of prayer beads onto his wrist. The visitor was pulling money out of his wallet when I intervened and told … [Read more...] about 10 common travel scams