Travel on the other side of the fence: How the rich and famous get around
WHAT must it be like to live in a world where the airspace is shut down when you arrive, your blood type is carried in your car in case of emergency and your security team can request the removal of city roundabouts so you don’t have to slow down?
Who knows, because it’s not a world that most of us inhabit, or may wish to for that matter. But for U.S. President Barack Obama that’s par for the course whenever he moves around the globe. He’s not the only one that gets special treatment though. Let’s take a look at some of the ways politicians, protected persons and personalities travel.
Motorcades for important political delegates at Brisbane’s G20 were often numerous and stretched up to 40 cars in the American president’s case. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
The American president’s motorcade has to be seen to be believed; replete with two limousines, a variety of SUVs, an ambulance, fire brigade, police and other cars it can stretch up to 40 vehicles in length. It’s also never clear which car exactly the president is sitting in himself, perhaps even deploying a decoy to wave for him from the limousine nicknamed “the beast” that is bomb and bullet proof. When Obama travels his cars are also flown in ahead of him for use on the ground and should he choose to dine out at night several restaurants are booked out so a last-minute decision can be made on which to choose.
"The beast" aka Obama’s limousine photographed in Brisbane at the G20 Leaders Summit on 15 November, 2014 with a waving figure in the back that may or may not be the president. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
When Russian President Vladimir Putin is traveling the globe it’s not unusual for the Russian navy to deploy in support. Yes, this is a leader who travels with a flotilla. At the recent G20 Leaders Summit in Brisbane on November 15-16, Russian warships were seen just off the coast, floating past as swimmers and holiday makers enjoyed the beach north of the city. Putin also sent his ship to the APEC summit in 2009 in Singapore. Putin also has a motorcade to rival President Obama’s with 20 vehicles recently supplied for the Brisbane G20 Summit that were flown in ahead of his arrival. However, it was reported he wound down the window at one point over the G20 weekend to wave to the crowd.
Vladimir Putin in Brisbane on November 15, 2014 for the G20 Leaders Summit. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
If you’re American actor Tom Cruise you get an altitude perk when you fly. His private jet, a Gulfstream IV, flies about 10,000 feet higher than most commercial aircraft at 45,000 feet. The other great feature about this aircraft is that its pressurized at 6,000 feet rather than the usual 8,000 feet of normal flights so he arrives far more refreshed. He also doesn’t have to wait in a queue like everyone else when he lands because for Tom Cruise customs boards his plane. He’s not the only one to enjoy these lofty heights. John Travolta is also an owner of a Gulfstream IV.
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has ruled Saudi Arabia for the past decade and is the world’s eighth most important person, according to Forbes magazine because he has a personal fortune of US$18 billion and is very influential in the Arab world. But at 90 he’s getting on so his brother, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, did the honours for the recent G20 Leaders Summit held in Brisbane. While the Prince touched down in Brisbane like the other delegates, and stayed at the Sofitel, his forward delegation arrived days before at the Gold Coast an hour away to stay at an exclusive resort. There was also a rumour that they had booked out a major Gold Coast theme park, Seaworld, for their own use for the day. This year a poll by Newspoll found it to be Australia’s most popular park. General admission starts at AUS$93 (US$81).
Arguably the biggest star couple in Hollywood today, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are often seen travelling with their six children in tow. According to Forbes Magazine what is not seen are the legions of nannies helping them as they move around, often mysteriously absent from photographs. At a Caribbean holiday in 2012 The Daily Mail reported they took 12 nannies with them.
In the UK newspapers actually fill with reports when the royal family don’t travel with the usual array of luxurious frills and detailed security arrangements. In 2009 The Telegraph reported the heir to the British throne Prince William’s choice to fly economy “where possible” was made in an effort to cut down his travel budget and done with “little fanfare”. He was again praised recently in 2014 for flying coach on a domestic flight in the US.
Young spectators wait outside of Buckingham Palace for the Royal Wedding of Britain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton in London Friday, April, 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Agoda
Last week, Shanghai’s most celebrated dissident announced he would launch a manifesto on human rights to coincide with the World Expo, China’s biggest spectacle since the Beijing Olympics. The next day, the police were at his door. Feng Zhenghu’s “Expo of Judicial Injustice” was meant to be a sharp critique of Shanghai’s legal system just…>
Britain’s Prince Charles met with Indian President Pratibha Patil for informal talks Saturday, a day before the two are to jointly inaugurate the Commonwealth Games, ending a protocol tussle. Charles and Patil, accompanied by their spouses, later strolled through the Mogul-style gardens of the pink sandstone presidential palace in the Indian capital. With Queen Elizabeth…>
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Siem Reap, , Cambodia
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Barefoot Sakau Lodge
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Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
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The Peninsula
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Bangkok, , Thailand
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Bangkok, , Thailand
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Shangri La Bangkok
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Bangkok, , Thailand
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The Heritage House & Gardens
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Dream Bangkok
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Bangkok, , Thailand
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Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort & Spa
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Koh Phangan, , Thailand
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Sala Samui
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Koh Samui, , Thailand
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Panviman Resort
Boutique Resort
Bantai, Koh Phangan, Thailand
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The Racha
Luxury Resort
Racha Island, , Thailand
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Lebua At State Tower
Urban Luxury Hotel
Bangkok, Bangrak, Thailand
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The Sukhothai Bangkok
Boutique Hotel
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 190 per night
Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort & Spa
Luxury Resort
Koh Samui, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Zeavola Resort
Boutique Resort
Ao Nang, Koh Phi Phi , Thailand
Deal USD $ 210 per night
Rachamankha Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Changmai, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 150 per night
LUXX
Boutique Hotel
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 75 per night
The Nam Hai
Luxury Villa
Hoi An, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 550 per night
Hotel Penaga
Boutique Hotel
Georgetown, , Malaysia
Deal 150 per night
Hibiscus Villa
Luxury Villa
Kudat, Sabah, Borneo
Deal USD $ 750 per night
Sepilok Jungle Resort
Nature Resort
Sandakan, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 10 per night
Old Penang Guesthouse
Urban Boutique Guesthouse
Penang, Georgetown, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 10 per night
Marco Polo Hotel
Urban Luxury Hotel
Davao City, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 92 per night
Pearl Farm Resort
Luxury Beach Resort & Spa
Davao, Samal, Philippines
Deal USD $ 119 per night
Bohol Beach Club
Beach Adventure Resort
panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Deal USD $ 111 per night
Eastwood Richmonde Hotel
Urban Hotel
Metro Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 94 per night
Casa Leticia Boutique Hotel
Urban, Boutique
Davao City, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 67 per night
Satrisna Home
Urban Guesthouse
Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Manila Hotel
Urban Hotel
Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 185 per night
Dusit Thani Manila
Urban Hotel
Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 140 per night
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort
Beach Resort
Kapali, Sipadan Island, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 1000 per night
Sukau Rainforest Lodge
Eco River Retreat
Kinabatangan River, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 400 per night
Casa Nicaros Hotel
Urban Budget Hotel
Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 50 per night
The Poseidon House
Luxury Villa
Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 363 per night
Abaca Boutique Resort
Spa & Wellness Resort
Lapu Lapu City , Mactan Island, Philippines
Deal USD $ 340 per night
Sangria Langkawi
Luxury Beach Villa
Pantai Tengah, Langkawi, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 530 per night
Eternity Springs Art Farm
Eco Wellness Retreat
Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Bali Dynasty Resort
Beach Resort
Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Deal 132 per night
Club Bali Hawaii
Beach, Adventure
Anyer, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 90 per night
Desa Seni
Boutique Spa Resort
Canggu, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Alila Ubud
Boutique Retreat Resort
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 163 per night
Long Life Hotel
Urban Budget Hotel
Hoi An, , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 28 per night
Grace Hotel Beijing
Urban Boutique Hotel
Beijing, 798 Art District, China
Deal USD $ 135 per night
Life Heritage Resort Hoi An
Urban Retreat
Hoi An, , Vietnam
Deal 131 per night
Princess D’Annam Resort & Spa
Boutique Resort
Binh Thuan, , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Evason Ana Mandara Hideaway
Luxury Beach Resort
Nha Trang, , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 200 per night
Victoria Chau Doc Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Chau Doc , , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 125 per night
The Terraces
Boutique Hotel
Kanatal, Uttarkhand, India
Deal USD $ 240 per night
The Orchid
Urban Boutique Hotel
Beijing, Gulou, China
Deal USD $ 110 per night
The Quay
Urban Retreat Hotel
Phnom Penh, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 70 per night
Luang Prabang River Lodge
Urban Budget Hotel
Luang Prabang, , Laos
Deal USD $ 40 per night
Royal Bay Inn Angkor Resort
Urban Hotel
Siem Reap, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 60 per night
Knai Bang Chatt
Beach Resort
Kep, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 115 per night
City Inn
Urban Budget Hotel
Vientiane, , Laos
Deal USD $ $60 per night
Independence Hotel
Luxury Beach Hotel
Sihanoukville, , Southern Cambodia
Deal USD $ 130 per night
Amanjaya Pancam
Urban Retreat Hotel
Phnom Penh, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Sala Luang Prabang
Urban Budget Guesthouse
Luang Prabang, , Laos
Deal USD $ 50 per night
La Residence d’Angkor
Luxury Hotel
Siem Reap, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ USD $285 per night
Settha Palace Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Vientiane, , Laos
Deal USD $ 150 per night
Wanderlust
Urban Boutique Hotel
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Deal USD $ 158 per night
The Mercer
Designer Luxury Hotel
Hong Kong, Sheung Wan, China
Deal USD $ 200 per night
The Club Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
China Town, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 188 per night
L’Hotel Nina at Convention Center
Urban Budget Hotel
Hong Kong, The New Territories, China
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Hotel Fort Canning
Urban Hotel
, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 240 per night
Marina Bay Sands
Urban Hotel
Marina Bay, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 341 per night
Hullet House
Urban Luxury Hotel
Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
Deal USD $ 500 per night
Hotel De Edge
Urban Designer Hotel
Hong Kong, Sheung Wan, China
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa
Luxury Beach Resort
Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 134 per night
Maya Ubud Resort and Spa
Mountain Luxury Retreat
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 295 per night
Batu Karang Lembongan Resort
Luxury Beach Resort
Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia
Deal 230 per night
Bon Ton Resort
Beach Luxury Villa
Pantai Cenang, Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Clove Hall
Urban Boutique Hotel
Georgetown, Pulau Penang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 180 per night
The Secret Sanctuary Boutique Cottage
Boutique Guesthouse
Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 35 per night
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
Boutique Resort
Canungra, Queensland, Australia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
Argonauta Boracay
Beach Boutique Hotel
Hagdan, Boracay Island, Philippines
Deal USD $ 120 per night
Anggun Boutique Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 75 per night
Soria Moria
Urban Retreat
Siem Reap, Old French Quarter, Cambodia
Deal USD $ 40 per night
La Villa Battambang
Boutique Guesthouse
Battambang, Rattanak Srok, Cambodia
Deal USD $ 55 per night
The Apsara
Urban Boutique Guesthouse
Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang Province, Laos
Deal USD $ 75 per night
Salana Boutique Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Vientiane, Wat Chan , Laos
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Villa Santi Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Luang Prabang, Ban Wat Sene, Laos
Deal USD $ 90 per night
TenFace Bangkok
Boutique Hotels
Bangkok, Pathumwan, Thailand
Deal USD $ 87 per night
Villa Lomchoy
Luxury Villa
Chaweng, Koh Samui, Thailand
Deal USD $ 275 per night
Hintok River Camp @ Hellfire Pass
Rivers Glamping
Kanchanaburi, River Kwai, Thailand
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Luang Poj Boutique Hostel
Boutique Guesthouse
Ranong, City Centre, Thailand
Deal USD $ 13 per night
The Chedi, Chiang Mai
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Chiang Mai, Chang Khlan, Thailand
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Villa Blubambu
Luxury Spa Villas
Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 115 per night
Santi Sari
Luxury Guesthouse
Goris, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
La Residence Hue
Boutique Hotel
Hue City, Tha Thien-Hue, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 118 per night
Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa
Luxury Resort
Dalat, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Deal USD $ USD $175 per night
Hotel G
Urban Boutique Hotel
Beijing, Sanlitun, China
Deal USD $ 170 per night
Tiger Rock
Luxury Boutique Guesthouse
Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
The Opposite House
Urban Luxury Boutique Hotel
Beijing, Sanlitun, China
Deal USD $ 330 per night
The T Hotel
Urban Designer Hotel
Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
Deal USD $ 150 per night
Hotel ICON
Urban Luxury Boutique Hotel
Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
Deal USD $ 335 per night
Hotel 1929
Urban Boutique Hotel
Singapore, Chinatown, Singapore
Deal USD $ 136 per night
The Scarlet Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Singapore, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 200 per night
New Majestic Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Singapore, Chinatown, Singapore
Deal USD $ 196 per night
Rohet Garh
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Rohet Garh, Rajasthan, India
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Padmini Niwas
Luxury Hotel Test
Mussoorie, Uttarkhand, India
Deal USD $ 33 per night
Orange County
Boutique Luxury Resort
Coorg, Karnataka, India
Deal USD $ 380 per night
Old Harbour Hotel
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Fort Kochi, Kerala, India
Deal USD $ USD $185 per night
Nilaya Hermitage
Boutique Luxury Hotel
Arpora, Goa, India
Deal USD $ 397 per night
Maneland Jungle Lodge
Adventure Resort Retreat
Sasan Gir, Gujurat, India
Deal USD $ 65 per night
House of MG
Urban Boutique Hotel
Ahmedabad, Gujurat, India
Deal USD $ 92 per night
Hotel Bougainvillea
Budget Boutique Guesthouse
Anjuna, Goa, India
Deal USD $ 15 per night
Fort Tiracol
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Tiracol, Goa, India
Deal USD $ 172 per night
Fort Chanwa Luni
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Deal USD $ 130 per night
Fernhills Palace
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Ooty, Tamil Nadu , India
Deal USD $ 235 per night
Carlton Plaisance
Luxury Hotel
Mussoorie, Uttaranchal, India
Deal USD $55 per night