Talking about COVID-19 and the travel industry is one thing, but let me acknowledge just how extensive its attack has been on all facets of life. Airline routes have been suspended, jets have been retired, businesses have been shuttered, and...millions have died. Budgets have run dry, hospitals have overflowed, and heartbeats have accelerated to uncomfortable levels among people of all race, gender, creed, income. Nobody can pretend to be unaffected from this virus.
So then, an essential question arises: Can optimism survive in the COVID-19 era? What I feel helps me sustain a sense of optimism is to type up a review or two on the popular travel planning site TripAdvisor (TA). Half the readers of this article probably read or write TA reviews, and over half have probably recognized the name. As I attempt to argue here, TA is both a boon to collective optimism and a bane, depending on the style in which reviews are written. And as you might be able to guess, I do my best to contribute to the boon of the service; I do this by adhering to specific moral guidelines:
Some of the most effective—and fun!—ways to demonstrate these guidelines in action (or the lack thereof) is to gather some real TA reviews to paste here and analyze together. Ready? It’ll be a blast. Here’s the first review (not from me): Where: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Overall Ranking: 3.5/5; #17 of 38 hotels in Detroit Review by “Disappointed” (2 stars; titled “Nothing special”) “I booked a room at the RenCen Marriott because I wanted to surprise my husband for our 20th wedding anniversary. I booked this room months in advance, requesting a high floor and city view. I mentioned to staff three times (via BonVoy app and telephone) that we were celebrating our anniversary and wanted to make our stay special. I asked if we could have anything delivered to the room (champagne, chocolate covered strawberries etc.) and was told no (not sure of the reason but if it was because of covid, that is pretty ridiculous that nothing could be done at all six months into the pandemic). When we arrived, there was no mention of our anniversary (would have been nice to have at least acknowledged at check in) and we were given a low room on the 11th floor with no skyline view of the city (just an obstructed view of the other RenCen tower). I was informed that there were no high floor rooms available which is pretty absurd considering the low occupancy and SEVENTY floors. In addition to not being accommodated with these requests, the internet was not working for our entire stay which meant that streaming services were also not available. We were extremely disappointed in the lack of customer service for what should have been a special occasion. Definitely not what we expected from the Marriott brand.” *any thoughts that are positive? Hmm…* Poor experiences are unavoidable, right? Exactly. However, I want to argue a stronger, more powerful way to detail them. First, let’s skip to the fourth bullet of my list of guidelines and see if the writer could have added more details. I know when I check into a hotel, I examine the atmosphere: the feel of the lobby, the facility location compared to attractions, and the facility upkeep. How was the atmosphere, according to this writer? I don’t know, other than his/her meager placement on the 11th floor. How was, hmm...the WiFi? Or the cleanliness during COVID? Was there breakfast? How truly was the service, besides the lack of acknowledgement of their anniversary? Many questions must still be answered, and many of the answers may be quite positive. Moving to the second bullet, let’s see—there’s plenty of subjectivity, but what about objectivity? Personally, I don’t enjoy it when people gang up on me, and I doubt anyone else (that includes managers!) feels otherwise. I believe it’s essential to promote objectivity and assume the very best intentions of people—tour operators, waiters, hotel clerks, valet drivers, concessions staff, whomever else—during these unprecedented times. I bet if I asked the managers and front desk staff of the RenCen Marriott about why the couple’s anniversary wasn’t brought up, I would receive reactions showing sorrow and error. Why might I doubt the staff actually intended to disregard their anniversary? Because, well, times are tough right now. COVID puts a dent on normal hotel practices. Jobs are on the line. Miscommunication is more frequent. Care for health trumps other priorities. Etcetera. So yes, I genuinely doubt the staff had negative intentions. Now did the writer mention all that? Nope. Because it’s a skill so desperately needed in life, but so commonly absent. Thus, I commend the writer for sharing their voice through TA, but for anyone anywhere, there is always space for improvement in the language you use. Now the next review is my own, after I spent the night at the brand-new AC Hotel (part of Marriott) in the nation’s capital: Where: AC Hotel Washington DC Downtown Overall Ranking: 4.5/5, #127 of 154 hotels in DC Review by “bornthatway_traveler” (4 stars; titled “Will Return (to a Room Away from Other Guests)”) “I chose the AC DC Downtown as the base for my travels within the nation’s capital back in July 2020. The location is absolutely unbeatable, as everything you’d need for a fulfilling DC adventure is no further than a few blocks. I appreciated my stay at this AC property and consider it to be worthy of four stars, but I hope to see improvements on just a few small aspects of my experience for next time. *positive, beginning the “sandwich”* I should begin with the highest compliments to the staff; they were kind and attentive to all my needs. They worked to ensure I had a room facing the interior courtyard space, rather than the street, which is always a preference for me. A few guests in an adjacent room to mine were hard at work partying or goofing off or whatever, blasting loud music at around one in the morning (when I arrived after my late-night flight), and the night auditor quickly phoned that room to make them aware of their excessive noise. It stopped within minutes. And when I had to check-out early the next morning instead of stay one more night, my reservation was edited professionally and without hassle. Bravo to the staff! *positive* (Moreover, I also wish to shout-out managers Donald LeCompte and Leroy Turnquest for personally following up via email on my stay—I could tell they cared about guests’ experiences and how to best serve them again in the future. Much appreciated to receive these messages!) *positive* Now I wanna sort of sway into the aspects of my time at the AC I would’ve enjoyed better had just a few tiny improvements been made—and much of this can stem from my proactivity next visit. The rooms were COVID-clean, comfy, and very quiet from the outside air/sky/atmosphere, but their functionality was a bit questionable. I realize ACs are geared toward shorter, urban-focused stays during which the idea of a hotel isn’t as paramount, but I would’ve loved to utilize larger bedside tables/stands and more spacious walkways. If I remember correctly, I was specifically given a mobility-accessible room, which is basically false advertising for wheelchair-bound folks. For me, I managed since I can walk just fine inside my room and park my chair elsewhere, but I always try to be a voice for the disability community—please reconsider the choice to label this room as accessible if the space can’t be expanded to ADA standards. In general, I wasn’t too impressed with functionality, but I managed fine when I spent the night. *uses “I” and not “you”; polite language; mixes negative aspects with encouragement* Additionally, the noise from adjoining rooms is incredibly amplified. Next time I come, I will ask to sleep in a room around which no other guests are staying. I know how tough it is to fix the mechanics and structure of a big building, and I know nothing can ever be perfect, but I still desire to do my part by asking to avoid others to ensure my stay is more private and relaxed in the future. *cue the fifth bullet!* It is true I’ve dedicated a significant portion of this review to describing negatives, but please please trust me that my rating of four stars still stands. I recognize that the majority of these issues can be easily rectified by being proactive during check-in and making sure I’m in the room that will fit me best. However, that’s not to say I won’t highlight them here to let other travelers know in advance. COVID-19 continues to be detrimental to the hospitality industry, and I don’t wish to put someone down during this unsteady period in the world—so I encourage everyone to stay at this AC hotel for their travels to Washington, DC, be it leisure, business, or bleisure. That is, if you agree to wear a mask and take COVID-19 precautions. Otherwise you can stay home :). Thanks for hosting me in DC!” *promoting objectivity; finishing the sandwich* Notice this review isn’t five stars—none of the featured reviews in this article describe perfect experiences. Clearly there were aspects of my stay I disliked. How did I describe them? Let’s focus on the third and fifth bullets for this one. I made sure to balance the positives and negatives of my experience as best as possible, and I mostly placed the positives in front of the negatives. A key word of advice for effective expression of dissatisfaction: positive-negative sandwich. In the middle of the review, I highlighted some negatives, namely issues with noise and room functionality. I have every right to do that, as firmly as I want or as gently. But what really seals the deal is the finish. I explicitly write my point: “It is true I’ve dedicated a significant portion of this review to describing negatives….I recognize that the majority of these issues can be easily rectified by being proactive during check-in….” I am careful to not let my intentions escape those who read my work; I wasn’t fully satisfied, but I still valued my stay and wish to keep returning. Now we see the implementation of the fifth bullet, regarding targeted solutions to areas of weakness. I acknowledged that it is difficult to soundproof a building, and that I must be more proactive when choosing a room (away from others). That’s a valid solution! I specifically used the word COVID-19, displaying my understanding of how detrimental its effects are on the industry. I promoted compassion, commendation, and humility. I could’ve omitted that entire paragraph, in fact—but doing so would neglect the “human” side of the men and women running the world’s hospitality businesses. Finally, let’s examine a review in which I express considerable disappointment, while still maintaining a civil, open-minded attitude: Where: Tom’s Urban (restaurant), Denver, CO Overall Ranking: 3/5, #1486 of 3174 restaurants in Denver Review by “bornthatway_traveler” (2 stars; titled “Lax COVID-19 Precautions”) “Tom’s Urban is (as of June) the only restaurant open at the Westin Denver Airport, so...not much choice in where I ate. However, regardless of where you’re staying, I personally would recommend skipping this place until there is a COVID-19 vaccine or until staff become more strict with health measures. Plus, I was not thoroughly impressed with my meal. Read on for informational bullet points in order to best inform your decision. *key objective language* - Location is convenient, as it’s in the Westin hotel and across from the airport terminal. A nice, open-air plaza area allows for outside seating on summer days. *positive* - The atmosphere is lively, enthusiastic, and inviting. There is a standard bar with ample seating, in addition to adequate table service. I enjoyed the feel of the dining room. *positive* - My waitress did not wear a mask at the beginning of my dining experience, and the hosts were spotty with their mask wearing—they had masks, but they rarely covered their nose and mouth completely. Simply unacceptable for a restaurant, let alone any public establishment, to not uphold basic health/safety measures against COVID-19. People get killed by this disease, and it can stem from negligent, absent, or subpar standards. I am a shy person who often has to work up mental effort to verbally call someone out, but eventually, before my food arrived, I requested that my waitress put on a mask AT LEAST when she visits my table; that request was thankfully fulfilled. I should not have to request that in the first place. Moreover, I want to mention that other servers wore their masks properly at all times, from what I saw—except my server. So that’s a flaw in the restaurant training, I’d say. I firmly encourage the hosts and that waitress to fully wear masks from now on, unless you’d like to turn away customers that could support your business. I’d also encourage better promotion of masks and social distancing for customers, because that was also spotty—even if masks can’t be mandated, at least be a bit more firm with guests, please. Things like these will go a loooong way, trust me. *polite, encouraging language; using “I” instead of “you”* - My food was quite overpriced and disproportionate for the price paid. 25 or so dollars for a basic, flavor-lacking chicken dish and a tip (reduced from my generous usual 30% to 15% due to server not wearing a mask at first...). I should’ve paid a total of 18 or 20 bucks at MOST. I found my menu options to also be limited, and not many items were appetizing to me at that time. So to recap, I personally won’t return to Tom’s Urban in the foreseeable future due to the negatives explained above. I also recommend others to avoid as well. It’s a shame, because there is potential—just not safe, healthy potential right now. If management wants to notify me of improved health precautions in place, perhaps I’d be willing to try again...but I don’t want to risk getting COVID-19. I wish the restaurant the best, and I hope changes are made.” *positive language at the end* When I write reviews of poor experiences, I feel it’s most necessary to follow the moral guidelines seen thus far. Anyone can tell I was dissatisfied at Tom’s Urban. I may not be back there till the virus ends. But did I ever tell anyone not or never to go? I can’t find a sentence where I used that language. I only recommended it. I kept it objective, despite detailing my subjective thoughts. I employed vocabulary like “wish the best” and “hope changes are made,” rather than completely shutting down their mission to serve food. I truly, most genuinely believe that if everyone followed the guidelines I set forth in my reviews, TA could be seen more as a respectful community of travelers helping others and the tourism industry at large. So let me conclude: albeit influenced by my overwhelming love of travel, I feel TripAdvisor reviews can boost the collective optimism of a global audience when written in the most effective way. It is critical for people to learn this style. When we read TA reviews, we can examine them as a case study for positive communication, kindness, respect, and togetherness, especially in the COVID-19 era. Give the travel industry a break, and support folks when they deserve to be supported!
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Hey, my fellow travelers! I have (fairly) recently started a YouTube channel to highlight certain aspects of traveling with both TAR Syndrome and autism. My YouTube name is “The Autistic Traveler.” Pleeease check it out!! As you can tell with how infrequently I post on this blog, I may not be the fastest to post videos—but do subscribe to me on YT; I’d so so so appreciate it. Here’s the link to subscribe:
https://youtube.com/channel/UCZHYNblbjo147ErD8bZ5pRA STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY!!! As COVID-19 plays capriciously with the minds and hearts of travelers, summer demands full attention and decision-making when it comes to leaving home. Is it safe? Is nothing about travel safe yet? What steps must we take to ensure travel is safe enough? Questions like these are burning throughout the world, much so in my head. As June slowly comes into vision, I feel I’ll be making the safest, most correct decision to do something. But I don’t want to focus on debating safety just yet. No matter what happens, national parks of the USA are top on my priority list for future travel. In other circumstances, I’d love to be hopping on a widebody jet (say, Delta’s shiny A350s! ✈️) to visit Lisbon and Porto, the French heartland and down to Provence, or Asian charms like South Korea or Singapore (or every other country in the world). But it’s wise for every traveler to choose to put trips abroad on hold. I see the vast, incredible country of the United States at my doorstep—easy to access, and easy to socially-distance within national parks I’ve had on my bucket list and always wanted to visit. And I hope you accept my apparent bragging rights for my admission to federal lands: I get free admission to every park due to my disability, as do all disabled travelers! At the end of this post, I’ll share the link to info about the lifetime parks pass I’m referring to. I wanna try to list some of my highest-priority and soonest-planned parks on my radar. Please, any and all my readers, let me know your favorites!!
PC: Dave Logan, Sunset Magazine
PC: National Parks Foundation
PC: National Park Service There are just so many more I’m imagining; it’s super difficult to list all of them. Because I could end up listing the 62 of them. In any case, Olympic NP is on my immediate radar for June 2020, as I outline in the next few days a trip I’ve designed (excited!!). It’s a worthy challenge to cross off all the parks, because they all truly receive less value than they should. While I’ve been more invested in traveling to major and up-and-coming cities in my travel past, the pandemic situation is making me rethink (aptly so). Many more travelers will be opting for parks this summer over urban areas, looking forward to socially-distancing AND having fun. I really encourage everyone to think nature this summer—you won’t be disappointed! Link to NPS Disability Lifetime Access Pass: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm#CP_JUMP_5088581 STAY HEALTHY, HAPPY, AND ADVENTUROUS!After sitting on the tarmac of my house for so long, I finally booked a ticket down to the Peachtree State for four days during fall break. Sunny Atlanta, to be precise! The getaway was really well-spent—I toured a vibrant downtown with a renowned aquarium, park, and classy convention facilities, and I later headed closer to Hartsfield-Jackson Int’l to check off all the items on my bucket list. Aside from a few hotel stumbles, the whole Atlanta experience was seamless. Most of it was due to my choice of transportation: Delta Air Lines.
(By the way, full details of my trip are coming in another blog post soon (I know you can’t wait, ha!), and with any luck, I’ll have the time and energy to start V-logging (v is big for emphasis) on YouTube to detail my thoughts further. Give me a week or so, and please, tell your friends and have them nag me.) Back to Delta, stay focused......Delta was the carrier I chose to fly me from Indianapolis to Atlanta on rainy October 19 and back home on scorching October 23. I currently have no real loyalty status on Delta whatsoever, but that is a concrete goal of mine, because I have consistently valued their approach to running their business from a very young age. They put all people before all else, and this shines through everywhere from call center rep to gate agent to thankless baggage handler. At the VERY least, it overwhelmingly shone through to me on both my travel days. Delta seems to have mastered the ability to resolve any issues of satisfaction in an efficient and, especially as I’ve read and heard accounts of, overall-better manner than its competition. Their early Southern roots as an crop dusting company still embody their spirit today (read about their roots!), because Southern hospitality is a genuine thing! On this trip, however, my situation was different and more of a pressure test on Delta. I brought along my 400-lb power wheelchair. I had never taken it on any plane before in my life. The pressure was no joke. I could only conceive of consequences out of viral news stories and complaints of damaged chairs. No one I knew is 1) disabled the way I am, 2) has had experience with wheelchair travel on airlines, and 3) could reassure me of any positive experience they knew from someone else. So I was very much on my own. I could only book with Delta with the courageous hope they would use their first-rate service and industry knowledge to my benefit. THAT was what prompted me to book with them. As soon as I drove up to the gate (get it?), I spoke with an agent whose confidence, professionalism, and friendliness far exceeded my expectations. She reviewed the loading/handling process with me in great detail and in a tone which made me more comfortable in front of potential negative prospects. Out of concern and care for my experience, she did two major things: tag my chair with a bright, handicap-marked tag to remind handlers of the fragile mobility equipment, and upgrade my seat to spacious Comfort+ to reduce the distance I’d have to walk. How exciting! Already I sensed my needs were prioritized and valued. Throughout my flight (from boarding to taxi/takeoff to landing to deplaning), there was a feeling of dim worry I felt on and off. Wasn’t pleasant, but despite the absolutely awesome flight crew (FAs were so personable and eager to chat), I couldn’t quite eliminate all my ruminative thoughts re my wheelchair. I should note the weather upon landing in Atlanta: torrential rain. The approach, landing, and taxiing was super intense and fun (surprisingly only a few little bumps in the clouds), but as the ATL handlers had to unload the chair in these unfavorable conditions, I didn’t know how wet it would get. Power chairs and rain are not friends! After a grueling twenty-minute wait once all passengers disembarked, a soaked baggage worker arrived, probably exhausted, with my sparkly-clean ride. First though, forgot to say—these flight attendants were the most fun people I ever talked to on a plane. In an airport environment, more accurately. I don’t know why I didn’t jot down their names, because as I waited for my chair, they chatted about connections they had to Bloomington, IN, tips for visiting the Delta Flight Museum, etc. My mind was truly at ease. Not to mention, Delta uniforms are simply THE BEST (look them up online to see what I mean). MOST IMPORTANTLY: My chair worked just the same as it did any other normal day. The relief was unimaginable! Apparently baggage handlers can’t accept tips, but I almost instantly offered, because I was immensely grateful. A funny moment, though, was when I actually assumed it couldn’t start up (i.e. the Permobil start screen didn’t turn on and the joystick wasn’t working). The crews around me began padding down the seat to check if rain caused an issue and flipping manual-automatic switches near the wheels to check their proper positioning. One minute later, the original handler solved the problem comically easily, by flipping a switch I legitimately had NO idea existed until that day. I guess it was a motor on/off switch, but whatever it was, I could just power the chair on normally and speed away as usual. So all in all, Delta did more good than bad: my chair worked, PLUS it got washed and I learned a trick to use on future flights. So folks, I’m actually going to end this here...trust me that the return trip was equally successful. In summary, I just want to commend Delta as much and as genuinely as I possibly can, because they truly eased my anxieties about wheelchair travel and made a huge, positive impact on me. Of course, I chose Delta with very limited knowledge of any sort of reputation or guarantee (other than I did assume Delta’s track record for chairs is better than American and United). Delta COULD HAVE destroyed it, for all I know. Every company has its moments of error and poor reputation, so I encourage my readers to keep that in mind when judging any customer service experience. However, from my Atlanta trip, I came to deeply understand Delta’s care and commitment, and I will now put my chair in their hands rather than any other carrier. If you’re looking for an airline to use for wheelchair travel, my recommendation to you is Delta!! Heya, whoever’s reading my blog at this point! I’ve decided to try jumping back into the world of blogging and travel “influencing”...just pretending to label myself that; a very far cry from the truth!! While this all might become dormant again like next week, I feel some sort of social, personal longing to share recent experiences/thoughts/news/etc. My love for travel hasn’t ceased since my first edit to this blog as a meek middle schooler with hardly any insight into serious traveling. My love is the electricity powering my zero-emissions vehicle to unlimited ideas in my head (sorry, I’m a writer, I have to). But, hence the title, my college courses are unexpectedly succeeding in their ability to restrict my diverse sense of place. I can list every municipality I visited between January 2019 and present day: Bloomington, Indiana; Ellettsville, Indiana; Martinsville, Indiana; Greenwood, Indiana; and Indianapolis, Indiana. None more. Just see the map below to discover just how geographically similar these places are. Sigh. So I want to get back to tracing my thoughts and feelings via blog, as real incentive to get on with planning my next trip. Fortunately, soon I’ll have the financial means to execute all the hotel and flight reservations, clear my calendar with the most pleasurable confidence, and liberate my bank account to absorb the strawberry prices at a Lyon market or the Uber fare to the Sydney Opera House. A big trip’s coming soon. Academic breaks are my only opportunities to escape, and thank gosh winter’s just ahead. For now though, happy student-ing or adulting or whatever-ing! HELLO, ALL MY READERS AND FANS!! My first blog post has arrived, following a year-long hiatus of busy-ness and stress and full-time summer employment. Remember: My name is Ben Foley. ;) I'm from Southern Indiana. I am still young, but I am confident, independent, and tricenarian (30 years old) by nature. Despite my physical disability, I can find solutions to nearly every problem I encounter when I'm alone in hotels and tourist areas. And, most importantly, my love and passion for exploring the world supersedes any other aspect of my life (or so I care to think).
Peeps may be wondering where I have actually been in the world in 2017. Of course, the response to this would warrant fifteen blog posts condensed into one, and to eschew the thought of cohesively writing for that long, I shall provide a short answer AND a short snippet of my exploratory bragging rights this past year. But do stay tuned for more comprehensive updates on future trips, as many are in line during my 2018 travel epoch. Without further ado, my answer is "developed North America," and my snippet is about, hence the title of this post, Quebec. Perhaps one should first consider the geographical information: Quebec is an easterly Canadian province with a capital at a city of the same name; it blends together generous preservation of nature, UNESCO-approved historic sites, and eclectic yet indubitably Quebecois cuisine; and its government wishes to secede from Canada (but to no avail as of modern times). These facts were just the fuel to the fire inside of me, burning the remnants of ancient hodophobia (travel anxiety) in my mind and sparking my truest sense of wanderlust. They paved the roads I were to utilize during my vacation, and I credit them for my inspiration. As you may have presumed, I poured over some paperback guides and lots of online resources to obtain knowledge of my destination, but words and images simply don't do justice. So, between June 5th and June 10th, I embarked with my fam, riding on a total of four rocky Air Canada Express jets with roundtrip stops in Toronto. It seemed as if the French language and culture was enclosed in a gigantic dome to which we were inching closer and closer on each leg of the journey, which I thought was very fascinating. Overhearing the safety briefings in French, as well as several in-cabin conversations en route to Montreal, made me believe I was already in a foreign country—when we hadn't even yet arrived in one! In the intended province, French phrases were on every advertisement poster, airport direction sign, and TV flight monitor; I also detected it spoken to a much greater degree than before. It offered me an often-intense challenge to try to quickly translate foreigners talking—or talking to me—and reply back in a timely, natural manner. In Quebec City, French was significantly more commonplace than in Montreal; in Montreal, the Embassy Suites staff first started speaking in English, as they assumed we were from "Les États-Unis" (United States) or "L'Angleterre" (United Kingdom). Quebec was exhilarating. Especially the taxi ride, which I may tell my followers about later—but man was that rough!! My family got plenty of chocolate fixes every day, and we embarked on guided tours galore. The citadel (la citadelle) provided a glimpse into the windy history of the region, as did La Musée du Fort, a small, upper-level exhibition space with a super cool interactive diorama slash documentary film slash micro-scale, model-based historical reenactment. Hard to describe, and I failed to snap any images, so bear with me if you don't understand! The food was impressive too. Being an aficionado of Italian cuisine, as well as boasting picky eater status, the gnocchi and risotto (eaten in Montreal and Quebec City, respectively) were excellent. I recommend Quattro (where the gnocchi came from) and Bello Ristorante. They are both on the pricier end, but they're worth every cent. The presumed owner of Quattro introduced himself to us during the meal, which added to the worthiness of the hundred dollars spent. Do remember to see the future post "Essential Tricks and Tips to Traveling in Canada" for images and more information about my experiences!!! Now for the wanderlust gene. I was born with it (99.99% guaranteed, although I have never undergone genetic testing to prove it). It's a mutation in the gene DRD4-7R (that's all the science I know), causing a natural temptation and excitement to take risks, try new things, and explore new frontiers. Sure I struggle with anxiety, and I am not the most confident guy in the world, but my eagerness to go on vacation surely hints at this genetic trait, don't you think? Friends of mine, discuss in the comments! Well that concludes my very first post! Thanks for reading, and please please keep following for more posts in the coming weeks. May the traveling gods and goddesses be with you, always! |
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