March 20, 2021 · 1:49 pm

Avoid Bamboo Tours: Bad Karma

Over the years, I’ve only posted one other time to warn people about a company. I love to promote travel, good hosts, good hotels, good places to go, restaurants, and friendly tour groups such as Rabbies in Scotland and Gate 1, two of my favorites. Unfortunately, I have had my worst experience ever with a group called Bamboo Tours. To be clear, I still haven’t traveled with this company. I write this to warn other travelers to be aware that if you book with them you risk losing your money. Their policy is NO REFUNDS even if they cancel for Covid 19 as they did with my tour, twice. While travel bans are not in anyone’s control, the way a company handles cancellations certainly is. They not only won’t refund my money, they are deliberately hiding a no refund policy despite displaying a public image as a warm and fuzzy company. They are mean-spirited and non-responsive. Here’s what happened.

We can all agree this was quite a year. Like most of the readers here, I had multiple trips planned for 2020. All of them were cancelled due to Covid 19. I received refunds from everyone except Bamboo. My refunds came from companies big and small: United Airlines, small airlines, hotels, and Gate 1. Bamboo refuses to refund until 2023. I should have known better than to pay in full, but the price was right for a week retreat in Thailand. It was going to be my first stop on a three-week trip to southeast Asia. Here’s their pitch:

“We are proud to introduce the first official Young@Heart global RETREAT 2020! And you are personally invited, after all, is it a young@heart event without you? The time has come for us to create a platform for our Young@Heart family to meet up, share ideas, have bonding experiences, and most importantly share some adventure and fun! As we have always stated we’re not old, we’re just getting started!
This is not a tour, this is a collective Young@Heart movement! Welcome to THE RETREAT 2020!
Join us in Thailand, the bustle of Bangkok & sandy beaches of Hua Hin ocean resort between April 21st – 27th 2020.”

Sounded lovely. But by February of 2020, Covid 19 was already moving through southeast Asia, so the tour group cancelled and rebooked the tour for 2021 which was reasonable. Here we are a year later and Covid 19 is still rampant, which is not the company’s fault. They rescheduled again for 2022. This time, I requested a refund. I was told I have a credit and if I couldn’t travel by 2023 they would refund my money. They stated it’s in their contract. I asked for a copy and never received it. Keeping my money may be legal, but it sure isn’t ethical. Bamboo Tours will have my money in their account for FOUR years when they were the ones who cancelled the trip. There’s more.

Many people post their Bamboo trip plans on Facebook in one of Bamboo’s groups. I posted comments on Bamboo 50+ and stated that the company does not give refunds. In light of Covid 19, I suggested that the travelers be aware of the policy before they take the risk and book. Due to my warnings, which are factual, I was banned from the site. I messaged the administrator (see below) and received the following messages from Bamboo:

You sent Yesterday at 9:52 AM. (From me):
If you are comfortable with your policy, why have you blocked any comments on the post? You cancelled my trip last February and I rebooked. Since that trip is not happening, I fail to understand the ethics of keeping my money until 2023. It may be legal, but I am from the US and am not permitted in any country you travel to. Besides, the only trip I was interested in was the retreat which is not happening. Isn’t it better to refund my money than to have a disgruntled customer for life?

Their reply: Dani Bamboo
Facebook

Dani Bamboo sent :
Hi Tina! I have blocked the comments and have blocked you from the group. Our group is made for positivity and people excited about their upcoming tours. This is an extremely stressful time for everyone and most people only have their tours to look forward to.

I am also from the US and although we are not able to travel right now we will be. We have tour dates all throughout 2021-2023. This is why the refund policy ends in 2023 because you can rebook a tour anytime between 2021-2023.

Lastly we do have a new retreat date. It is for April 18th 2022. We also have many Thailand tours you could choose from as well.

If you have any questions you can be sure to contact the team at bookings@wearebamboo.com.

I find her replay ironic and funny. The group is “made for positivity” so for telling the truth about the policy, she kicked me out. I wrote back and told her I would be blogging about my experience and received this reply.

Dani sent Yesterday at 3:18 PM
As I have mentioned above I had to remove you from the group as you were being disruptive to those excited for their adventure.

You are welcomed to join the group again but you do have to follow our groups guidelines of being kind and courteous.

You cannot comment on every persons post saying beware of no refunds. What you are saying causes confusion. Especially to those who had to move their tour dates due to covid.

Again if you have any questions or concerns be sure to email the team at bookings@wearebamboo.com

So truth is not “kind and courteous.” She had to remove me. I cannot comment and tell people their policy. I am causing confusion. Here is the mission statement of the company:

“Wherever we go, whatever we do, let’s make it the best it can be for everyone. Simple. A founding principle of Bamboo.
Karma means action, work or deed;[1] it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual.
Bamboo Karma means our actions, experiences, tours, and deeds have only a positive cause and effect! Our intent and action influence our world for the betterment of all humanity!”

Wow. “Simple,” huh? Not simple if you want a refund for a trip that has been cancelled by the tour group twice. Karma. That’s amusing. I too believe in Karma. They blocked me on Facebook from warning others of their no refund policy. They refuse to give me a refund. We’ll see how long it takes for Karma to kick in.

I did write to “the team at bookings@wearebamboo.com” as Dani suggested. After several weeks, I received no reply.
So there you have it. No where on their website does the “no refund” policy appear. I have no written statement that verifies this. The company seems to operate under multiple names. Bamboo is active on Facebook under several names: Bamboo, Young at Heart , Bamboo 50+, Bamboo Travel, Bamboo Travel Club, Bamboo EcoTours, We Are Bamboo.

There are many positive reviews of the past trips with Bamboo. But if you book, be aware you will lose your money if they cancel. And if you try to warn customers, you will be considered unkind and discourteous.

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July 3, 2019 · 2:51 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #13

ZUCCHINI ROLLATINI

zgrilled

INGREDIENTS:`

  • 3 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • fresh black pepper, to taste
  • 1 large egg
  • marinara sauce
  • 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup rough chopped basil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the zucchini soft enough to roll, grill before filling and rolling. To grill the zucchini, peel and slice the zucchini into 1/4 ” flat slices. Oil lightly and season with pepper and your favorite salt. Crazy salt or sea salt with herbs de provence are both favorites of mine. Using a non-stick grill pan, grill on both sides until soft. Drain the zucchini strips by placing them in paper towels and placing a plate on top for at least five minutes. Otherwise, the rollatini will be watery.

Mix the ricotta cheese with the egg, parmesan and all the seasonings. Spread on each strip, sprinkle shredded mozzarella on each, and roll. Spread enough marinara sauce to cover the bottom of a glass baking dish. Add the rolled rollatini, seam side down. Cover with marinara sauce, add remaining mozzarella and bake for 20-25 minutes or until mozzarella is melty. Add remaining parmesan and serve.

Bon Appetite!

 

zrollatini

 

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July 2, 2019 · 2:00 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #12

ztogoGRILLED ZUCCHINI SANDWICH TO GO

Ingredients:

zucchini

tomatoes

bread

seasoned salt

pepper

mustard (or mayonnaise if you have a cooler)

Summer is the best time for fresh, local produce and there is nothing better than simple, grilled vegetables of all kinds. Farmers’ markets are abundant where I live and the selection is colorful, healthy and so appealing. Check out the photo below.

Zucchini grills beautifully and makes a lovely sandwich that travels well to the beach, pool, or park. If you make this sandwich with mustard, it will keep well for several hours. Tomatoes should always be served warm and grilled zucchini tastes perfect at room temperature. It gets soft when grilled, but doesn’t fall apart so this is the perfect sandwich when you are on the go.

To grill the zucchini, peel and slice the zucchini into 1/4 ” flat slices. Oil lightly and season with pepper and your favorite salt. Crazy salt or sea salt with herbs de provence are both favorites of mine. Grill until charred with beautiful grill marks. Turn and grill on the other side. Drain and you are ready to slice your tomatoes. Add your favorite brown mustard such as Trader Joe’s Dijon to your favorite bread, pita, or wrap. Use two thin slices of tomatoes, two or three pieces of zucchini, and you are good to go! Add a slice of swiss cheese if you would like some protein.

Bon Appetite!

zgrilled

 

ztomatoes

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July 1, 2019 · 2:00 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #11

zbreadmini

 

ZUCCHINI BREAD

Before you say “ugh” and stop reading, zucchini bread, much like pumpkin bread, is more sweet than savory, is more dessert than punishment, and is not really bread at all. I don’t even know why it is called bread since most breads include yeast. This is more like a pound cake, minus the tons of butter. Be that as it may, zucchini bread is quite delicious and doesn’t remotely taste like a vegetable. You can serve it as a dessert or–as a guilty pleasure–for breakfast. I like it with lo-fat topping such as Cool Whip.

zbreadcw

 

Ingredients:

butter or spray for greasing the pans

3 to 4 cups grated fresh zucchini.    (4 cups will yield a slightly more dense zucchini bread)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup cooking oil

*1 cup golden raisins (dried cranberries work well too if you like tartness)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prep and cook time 1 hour 10 minutes.

 

*Can be left out or substituted with something you prefer.

Shred the zucchini using a grater or a food processor. Let the shredded zucchini sit in a clean towel in a colander for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze all the excess liquid from the zucchini before using it.

zdrain

Grease two 5 by 9 inch loaf pans or 4 mini pans.

In a standing mixer, with a hand beater or a whisk, mix together the sugar and oil.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla and add to the sugar and oil. Stir in the drained grated zucchini. Don’t overtax the zucchini.

Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, salt.

Add the flour mixture a third at a time to the zucchini mixture, stirring after each incorporation. Fold in the raisins.

Divide the batter equally between the loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes at 350°F or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly. These freeze beautifully for up to three months.

Bon Appetite!

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June 30, 2019 · 1:56 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #10

zbowlspirals

ZUCCHINI CACIO E PEPE
Ingredients:

2 lbs zucchini (or summer squash)

*1 tablespoon butter (omit if you like, but you will lose some flavor)

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

*1/4 cup white wine (light such as Sauvignon blanc)

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper

Prep and cook time 30 minutes. Serves 2 large portions, 4 small.

*Any ingredient with an * can be left out or substituted with something you prefer. Because zucchini is so versatile, this and all my zucchini recipes are quite flexible. Feel free to substitute ingredients.

Before I get mail telling me if it is yellow it isn’t actually zucchini, I know. It’s squash. But since this blog is called “100 Zucchini Recipes” I am using the descriptor to cover a range of product. I will not, however, go so far as to call ‘eggplant’ or ‘aubergine’ a squash. That would just be wrong.

As you can see in the above photo, if you spiralize zucchini it looks like pasta and makes a low calorie, carb and gluten free substitute for all the spaghetti dishes you might be missing. Zucchini pasta is filling and guilt free! The long, lovely strands are hard to resist. A spiralizer is a tool you will wonder how you lived without. Really.

Spiralize zucchini or summer squash. Add butter and just enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom of a non-stick pan. Melt butter and add zucchini. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stir once. Add wine, pepper flakes and salt. Cover and cook for 3-4 more minutes until the zucchini is al dente. Drain. Add the cheeses and the freshly ground pepper, toss and serve. Delicious, simple, guilt free dish.

Bon Appetite!

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June 29, 2019 · 3:11 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #9

zsouffle

 

Zucchini Mini Souffles

Ingredients:

3 lbs zucchini

extra virgin olive oil (or spray)

2 tablespoons siracha  (or 1 teaspoon cayenne)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

*2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup seasoned panko

1/4 cup flour

2 eggs

salt & pepper to taste

Prep and cook time 45 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

*Any ingredient with an * can be left out or substituted with something you prefer. Because zucchini is so versatile, all my zucchini recipes are quite flexible. Feel free to substitute ingredients. If you do not want to use the yolks of eggs, leave out the yolks and add the white of another egg or two. Zucchini can stand up to heat and seasonings, so be liberal in your use of herbs and spices.

zdrainShred the zucchini using a grater or a food processor. Let the shredded zucchini sit in a clean towel in a colander for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze all the excess liquid from the zucchini and place it in a big mixing bowl. Add the seasonings, the flour and panko. Beat the eggs in a separate small bowl. Slowly add the eggs, mixing well. Stop when the consistency is enough to hold together without falling apart. If the mixture is too dry, add more egg or a bit of mayonnaise. If it is too wet, add more flour.

Spray a cupcake pan with olive oil spray. Or, wet a paper towel with olive oil and grease the pan. Fill the tray. The mixture should be level with the tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the zucchini has browned along the edges. Serve plain or with tzatziki.

zminisouffleBon Appetite!

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June 28, 2019 · 1:21 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #8

zpastashrimp

 

ZUCCHINI PASTA & SHRIMP
Ingredients:

2 lbs zucchini (or summer squash)

1 lb cleaned uncooked shrimp

*1 tablespoon butter (omit if you like, but you will lose some flavor)

extra virgin olive oil

Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 stalks fresh sage

*1/4 cup white wine (light such as Sauvignon blanc)

grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Prep and cook time 30 minutes. Serves 4.

*Any ingredient with an * can be left out or substituted with something you prefer. Because zucchini is so versatile, this and all my zucchini recipes are quite flexible. Feel free to substitute ingredients.

Before I get mail telling me if it is yellow it isn’t actually zucchini, I know. It’s squash. But since this blog is called “100 Zucchini Recipes” I am using the descriptor to cover a range of product. I will not, however, go so far as to call ‘eggplant’ or ‘aubergine’ a squash. That would just be wrong.

As you can see in the above photo, if you spiralize zucchini it looks like pasta and makes a low calorie, carb and gluten free substitute for all the spaghetti dishes you might be missing. Zucchini pasta is filling and guilt free! The long, lovely strands are hard to resist. A spiralizer is a tool you will wonder how you lived without. Really.

zprettyspirals

Spiralize your zucchini (or your squash). Put it in a clean, cotton towel to drain for now.

zrawshrimp

zoldbayMelt butter and olive oil together in a non-stick frying pan. Add cleaned shrimp and season well with Old Bay. Cook shrimp 3 to 4 minutes and turn over. Continue to cook. Watch them closely. Over-cooked shrimp get rubbery. The shrimp are done when they turn pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Add the sage and white wine to the remaining butter and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sage becomes bitter if you cook it for too long so remove the sage and throw it away. It’s strong flavor will remain. Add the zucchini pasta and season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cover and lower the heat. Stir once to make sure the strands cook evenly. The spaghetti will take about 5-7 minutes and should be firm to the bite like al dente pasta. Remove from heat. Place the pasta in a bowl. Add the cooked shrimp and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Toss and serve.

Bon Appetite!

zsageinbutter

Sage in butter, olive oil, wine.

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June 27, 2019 · 5:36 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Days of Zucchini Recipes #7

Image
ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

 

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium zucchini

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs

3 cloves garlic, minced well

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

*1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions

3 tablespoons fresh thyme (1 tablespoon dried thyme)

salt & pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

for garnish: tzatziki, sour cream, or Greek yogurt

Prep and cook time about an hour.

This recipe can be baked if you want to keep it healthy. It is also delicious cooking in a non-stick frying pan. For baking, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

NOTE: Because zucchini is so versatile, this and all my zucchini recipes are quite flexible.
*Any ingredient with an * can be left out or substituted with something you prefer. For example, you could substitute onions or chives for scallions in this recipe.
Shred the washed zucchini with a grater or in your food processor. Let it sit for 15 minutes in a clean, cotton towel in a colander. Squeeze out excess liquid. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the flour, parmesan, garlic, scallions, thyme & pepper flakes to the zucchini in a large bowl and stir well. Add the egg mixture to the bowl a little at a time and blend. The mixture should be wet but not watery. It needs to hold together in a pattie. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour. Too dry, add more egg.

Form patties using a 3/4 cup measuring cup, a 2″ cookie round, or a just eyeball your patties. They should be uniform in size, about 2″ across and 1/3″ thick.

For baking, line a baking sheet and spray with a nonstick olive oil spray or drizzle just enough olive oil to grease the pan. Lay out your patties. Bake for 15-18 minutes and flip them over. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Serve with tzatziki or your favorite garnish.

For frying, add your favorite cooking oil to a non-stick pan and cook 4 patties at a time. On medium heat, brown on one side, flip and brown on the other side. If you brown them too quickly, they won’t cook through. Patties should be firm inside and brown and crisp on the outside. Drain on a rack. Serve with tzatziki or your favorite garnish.

Make a lot of these. They are a true crowd pleaser.
Bon appetite!

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June 26, 2019 · 2:00 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Zucchini Recipes #6

3 Cheese Zucchini Ravioli with Roasted Tomato Basil Sauce | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest
3 Cheese Zucchini Ravioli
ZUCCHINI POCKETS

 

INGREDIENTS
3 medium zucchini or summer squash
1 1/2 cups your favorite tomato puree or sauce
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 tablespoons fresh thyme

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prep and cooking time 45 minutes.

NOTE: Because zucchini is so versatile, this and all my zucchini recipes are quite flexible.
Most ingredients can be substituted with something you prefer. For example, the cheeses can be any cheese that melts well.

Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini into 1/4 inch wide ribbons and lay them flat on a paper towel lined counter. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt. 
In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses-reserve 2 tablespoons parmesan-, herbs-reserve 2 tablespoons basil-, salt and pepper. 
Layer four zucchini strips to make a star. Start with one noodle, then add another to make a X. Now make another X with the remaining two noodles that will overlap. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the center of the zucchini. Bring the ends of the zucchini together, laying them over the cheese until they look like a little package.  Repeat with remaining zucchini and filling.
Spread half the tomato puree on the bottom of a glass or pyrex backing dish. Lay the packets seam side down in the sauce. Drizzle the lightly with the rest of the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pockets are warmed through. Garnish with the remaining fresh basil and grated parmesan.

Bon Appetite!

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June 25, 2019 · 12:50 pm

100 Days of Summer: 100 Zucchini Recipes #5

zucchinistuffedboatsZUCCHINI BOATS

Ingredients:

4 to 6 small zucchini (Small works best for this delicious side dish)

1 cup ricotta cheese

*1/4 lb of your favorite meat loaf mixture (such as veal, pork & beef) Omit for vegetarian

1 egg

*chopped fresh parsley

*chopped fresh oregano

2 cloves finely chopped garlic

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

salt & pepper to taste

Prep and cook time 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
NOTE: Because zucchini is so versatile, this and all my zucchini recipes are quite flexible.

*Any ingredient with an * can be left out or substituted with something you prefer.

zbasilherbs

Line a cookie sheet and drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on the sheet, just enough so the zucchini doesn’t stick.

Cut the tips of the zucchini off. Slice each washed zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh of the zucchini out and discard. You can use a melon baller, an apple corer, or a teaspoon to do this. Make sure you don’t cut too deeply. You just want a valley in the zucchini.

Beat the egg. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients well as you would a meat loaf. Add the egg to bind it all together and mix again.

Fill the zucchini boats with the mixture and bake for 30 minutes.

Bon Appetite!

 

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