Business, Food , Travel - My Life

some questions wait for your answer!!

2011-06-10T07:53:00.000-07:00

Good sites for us

2010-01-12T21:29:00.001-08:00

if you have and questions?you can see the web JustAskAndAnswer!

Photo of the Day (08.09.08)

2008-08-09T21:10:00.001-07:00

Much like Aaron, I too have Olympic fever; in fact I spent over 4 and a half hours in front of the television last night watching the whole opening ceremony. With so much of the ceremony focusing on the religious and philosophical traditions of China, I thought that this picture taken by bellumdeos at the Dongyue Taoist Temple in Beijing was fitting.

Want your own photo considered for Gadling's Photo of the Day? Submit it to our Flickr pool and we just might choose it.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Video: Preparation of airline food

2008-08-09T20:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Scuba Diving, Video

If you've wondered what goes into the preparation of food for an airline, here's an interesting 5-minute video on the process. A few points of note: Up to 45,000 meals are made per day by airline catering companies; the type of food depends on the plane's destination; pilots have to eat different food so as to avoid both of them being down should a full-related illness pop up on the flight; and, every meal is made to be served on the same day. Check it out.

[Via: Upgrade Travel Better]

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

American Stabbed and Killed in Beijing

2008-08-09T19:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: China, News

With the memory of a spectacular opening ceremony still in everyone's mind, some news from the opposite end of the emotional spectrum came out of Beijing today. Two American tourists, a man and woman, and a local guide were attacked by a man carrying a knife.

The attack took place at the famous Drum Tower that sits above the hutong near Houhai Lake. The tour guide and the woman were injured, but their male companion was killed. The two Americans were relatives of a US volleyball coach.

The attacker, identified by Xinhua News Agency as Tang Yongming from the city of Hangzhou, jumped to his death off the second floor of the tower after the attack.

Such an event is almost unheard of in China. It is even more surprising because of heavy security throughout Beijing. Chinese authorities have expressed concern about terrorism and unauthorized protests in the lead-up to the Games, but crimes against tourists are usually limited to pickpocketing and price gouging.

This appears to have been a random attack. According to reports, the victims were not wearing anything that identified them as Americans.

The attack took place at noon Beijing time. The tower remains sealed off from the public as police investigate.

New York Times coverage of the attack

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daily deal - Camelbak FlashFlo 1.3-Liter Hydration Pack (pink) for $11.41

2008-08-09T18:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Hiking, Gadling's Daily Deal

My daily deal for today is for the Camelbak FlashFlo 1.3 liter hydration pack. This waist mounted hydration pack has an insulated 1.3 liter pouch and a drinking tube that attaches to your shirt.

The FlashFlo even has room for your keys, wallet and an iPod or other MP3 player. The front of the pouch also has reflective striping to help increase visibility on the road.

Products like this are perfect for hikers, runners, or anyone else who enjoys being outdoors and understands the importance of staying hydrated. The Camelbak FlashFlo lets you drink without having to stop and dig a water bottle out of your backpack.

The Camelbak FlashFlo hydration pack normally costs $40, but if you don't mind wearing a pink waist pouch, you can pick one up today for just $11.41. Amazon Prime members can get the product shipped for free, anyone else will have to pay shipping, or add another $12.59 in products to reach $25 and qualify for free shipping (Amazon is currently offering a free one month trial of Prime)

When you get to the product page, be sure to select the PINK version of the pouch from the dropdown menu to get the low price as none of the other colors are on sale.

(via Fatwallet.com)

Edit: the price has gone up to $17.99, which is still a good deal, but obviously not as "hot" as the original price.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Two weeks of embarrassing passport news

2008-08-09T17:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: News

It's been a bad couple of weeks for passport designers. Several things happened that could alter the future of the technology used in our travel documents.

The first bit of bad news came from the UK, where a van was stolen containing 3000 "virgin" passports. These passports were on their way to an RAF base, where they would be flown to consulates all around the world (previously covered here on Gadling)

The passports were made in a high security printing facility owned by 3M, but of course, no amount of security helps against stupidity. When the driver of the van stopped at a store to buy a candy bar, his colleague (who was still in the unlocked van) was ordered to keep his head down while the thieves drove off, stopped in a dark alley, and unloaded all the passports into a waiting car. The passenger of the delivery vehicle has been arrested and released on bail.

The UK passport service said "computer chips embedded in the passports to store personal and biometric data have not been activated. The service says that means the documents, which are still missing, can't be used as passports.".

Turns out they couldn't have been more wrong, which brings us to the next bit of bad news.

RFID (radio frequency identification) chips in passports have been a hugely controversial issue. Ever since the first trials were conducted, security specialists have warned that they are not the holy grail they are said to be. Back in 2006, right after the first chip enabled travel documents rolled off the printing presses, researchers showed how easy it is to read, and write to the chip in these passports. In a more recent experiment, a researcher read the information off one passport, and altered it, rewriting the data to a different chip, but with a new photo; Osama Bin Laden.

When the standards were developed for the RFID chips in travel documents, a system was put in place that could verify the information stored on the passport with a remote database of "public keys". So far, only 10 of the countries participating in RFID passports have signed up for this new public database, and only 5 are actually using it. Once this system is in place, a scanned passport will be verified against the data it is supposed to contain.

This technology should eventually make it much harder to use a fake or altered passport at an immigration counter, but only in countries that have the systems in place for using RFID. Any other county will still have to rely on the visible data stored in the passport. Since the RFID technology is only intended for immigration purposes, a fake passport can still easily be used for other purposes, like banking or real estate.

In the meantime, there are 3000 UK passports on the market (worth about $3400 each), and millions of passports being printed each month with RFID chips that don't really protect anyone.

With each vulnerability found in these RFID passports, the designers are pushed back a little closer to their drawing boards, where they will eventually have to develop an even better method of protecting the countries they work for. Of course, in the big picture of things, nothing can stop good old human stupidity.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Olympic Games opening, Chinese style: The wow factor

2008-08-09T16:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, China, Taiwan

Wow! Wow! Wow! I could go on.

Even though today's news brought the missive of the out of character stabbing of an American tourist in Beijing, the opening ceremony of the Olympics was certainly in character.

It was amazing--and I only saw the last bit. That's one detail about traveling; world events swirl about in the periphery until a thought passes through, like, "Didn't the Olympics start today?" and the TV is flipped on to the right channel. I remembered the Olympics just in time to catch the finale.

The NBC TV commentators were as amazed by the ceremonial hoopla as much as I was-- maybe even more. Even though they expected a spectacular showing from China, the result was brilliant.

As Matt Lauer asked about the opening, "Is it usually this way?" Bob Costas said, summarized in a word, "No."

The synchronized acrobatics and dance routines in the final clips before the credits rolled were versions of performances I saw at the school where I taught in Taiwan-- X 100, of course. Once a year there is Field Day where the entire school day is given over to athletic competitions. Each grade also performs a synchronized performance that takes hours of practice.

To see what can be done with hundreds of school kids who pay attention is astounding. I wasn't surprised to see what can be done with adults. Still, the result was a spectacular feat of skill and wonder.

My favorite part, hands down, was gymnast Li Ning's trip around the top of the stadium while he was suspended by cables. As he held the torch aloft, making perfectly executed running motions, a scroll screen unfurled to show a video montage of the torch's trip around the world.

At the end, he lit the torch by lighting a fuse which carried the flame to the main torch that burst into flames. This was followed by a fireworks display like no other--several mimicked the shape of the Olympic rings.

As I said to my friend who was watching it with me, "Can you imagine, the group of people sitting in a room thinking up ideas for what could be done to light the torch? Isn't it fantastic that someone came up with this? Isn't it great what people envision?"

I'm a sentimental sap though. My husband thinks I should be in "Up with People." If one puts cynicism aside, and forgets that perhaps governments stage events to show off might, to focus on those with the creativity to orchestrate such pleasure, the world does look brighter.

This video clip from the The Wall Street Journal On-Line gives an interesting overview of what the Chinese were thinking and doing on August 8 before the opening ceremonies started. Getting married and having babies were part of the activiites. It finishes with a bit of the fireworks. I wish it showed Li Ning.

Sometimes, it's good to feel a bit of wonder and leave problems aside for a moment or two. Just call me Mary, as in Mary Sunshine. For a wonderful slide show, check out this link from The New York Times. Li Ning is number 12.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ryan Air to forbid booking through third parties

2008-08-09T06:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, News

I heavily rely on multiple booking sites like Atrapalo, WeGoLo, Kayak, Rumbo, Orbitz, Expedia and CheapTickets. I find that 80% of the time, they are the best way to choose a route and flight to a destination. So reading that Ryan Air is not going to accept bookings from these sites, was an annoying blow.

Starting August 11, Ryan Air has announced plans to cancel all flight bookings through these intermediary sites (also called "screen scrapers"). Why? Apparently, these sites function against their terms and conditions, and are illegal. In addition, they want to ensure that passengers get the lowest rates, to avoid the Ryan Air's website server be overloaded, and to be able to have direct contact with their customers. On the business front: When people book flights on intermediary sites, websites like Ryan Air lose sales on services such as travel-insurance, hotel-bookings, car-rentals, etc -- probably the main reason for this action.

For the moment, BravoFly, V-tours, Opodo, Atrapalo, and OTbeach, are the main ones Ryan Air is taking action against.

I think passengers have the right to choose how they want to book their flights. There are more pros than cons booking with third parties, and if the customer is willing to pay the extra buck, the airline is no one to interfere with that. Anyhow, only 0.5% of Ryan Air's bookings come through these booking engines; since Ryan Air will no longer appear on the flight options of these "screen scrapers", they are bound to lose that business. Looks like they are just making an unnecessary inconvenience for everyone.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Photo of the Day (08.08.08)

2008-08-09T05:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: China, Photo of the Day

I'll admit it: I've got Olympic fever. So, apparently, do these kids. How could we not feature a photo from China today?

This shot from Marni Rachel was taken in Beijing. The boy, with his combination of a "Sports" shirt, a Chinese flag, and the "Victory" sign, appears confident that the Chinese will dominate this Olympics. Or maybe I"m reading too much into it.

Want your pic considered for Gadling's Photo of the Day? Go to the Gadling Flickr Pool and submit it already.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daily deal - Western Digital 320GB external drive for $115

2008-08-09T04:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling's Daily Deal

My daily deal for today is the Western Digital "My Passport Essential" portable hard drive. With a whopping 320GB of storage, you'll have enough space to make full backups of your laptop, and room to carry along most of your music and video collection.

This external drive does not require a power supply, as it can run off the power delivered by the USB port on your laptop. 320GB is enough for almost 80,000 MP3 files, or around 50 compressed movies.

By carrying an external drive, you can also create a safe place to store sensitive documents, especially if you add an encryption program like Truecrypt to the drive.

The Western Digital 320GB My Passport Essential is currently on sale at Newegg.com for just $114.99, with free 3-day shipping. The only downside to this deal, is that the price only applies to the RED drive.

If 320GB is a little too much for you, then you can opt for a 160GB version for $79.99, or this 250GB version for $99.99.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Nikon announces some snappy summer sweetness

2008-08-09T03:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gear

Nikon has just announced a few new cameras for their 2008 lineup, right before the Photokina trade show.

The first one is the P6000, a 13.5 megapixel point and shoot camera with a 2.5" touchscreen monitor and, get this - GPS. By including GPS in the camera, you can take photos and "geotag" them.

Geotagging embeds the location of the photo in the image file, so you can easily track back exactly where you took the shot. The P6000 should be on shelves by September, for a pretty reasonable $500. Of course, at $500 it is dangerously close to digital SLR territory, but if you are a true amateur (like myself), dslr photography might be a tad too complicated.

Then there is the new Nikon S60, which is an ultra compact 10 megapixel camera with a 5x optical zoom. The S60 is equipped with an HDMI connector, for showing your photos on a compatible HDTV. This mid-range camera will launch for around $350.

The remaining cameras in the new lineup are a little less interesting; the S610 and the S710 are pretty basic shooters with 10 and 14 megapixels respectively. Both have a 3.6x optical zoom, and the S610 includes Wi-Fi for wirelessly uploading your images.

Nikon press releases, via: Engadget

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Studying abroad? Here's what to pack.

2008-08-09T02:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gear, Budget Travel, What's in Your Pack?

Around this time four years ago, I was preparing for a semester abroad by frantically packing every item of clothing I'd ever worn, along with hundreds of CDs (remember those?), and a four month's supply of toiletries. Can you say overkill?

As with all packing, less is more. Over at Matador, Jenny Sherman lays out everything you need for your upcoming trip. Among her suggestions? A travel diary:

"Even if you don't keep one at home, you'll be glad to have it there. Get a nice one like a Moleskine and you will be more likely to write down your experience with the crazy waitress or the local slang you just learned."

And don't forget an extra duffel bag for transporting all those touristy souvenirs home. And yes, you will buy them, so don't act like you won't.

Also, you don't need a four month's supply of toothpaste*, deodorant, razors, and shaving cream. Unless you're studying abroad in Antarctica, these items will be available.

Finally, think hard before bringing anything you can't afford to lose. I can tell you from painful personal experience that expensive items can easily be stolen from dorm rooms, left on trains, stepped on, and otherwise rendered unusable. Don't let it happen to you.

Read the whole thing here.

*Offer not available in the UK.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Branson Claims It's Easy to be Green

2008-08-09T01:10:00.001-07:00

After he sends people into space, Richard Branson will have his eyes on something a little closer to earth. Pond scum.

A well-publicized Virgin Airlines test flight earlier this year proved that a plane could stay aloft powered by a mixture of gas and bio-fuel made from coconut. Since then, Branson has been reminding naysayers that bio-fuel is a reasonable alternative and is the future of air travel.

Of course, some people are skeptical. If a new type of fuel gums up a car's engine, that's one thing. But if it happens to an airplane's engine in mid-air....

Still, high gasoline prices have made it hard to ignore the eccentric Englishman's ideas. But will corn or coconut prove a long-term source of fuel?

A study at the University of Minnesota has found a new source that is much cheaper: common algae. According to Reuters, the study shows that algae produces as much as 5,000 gallons of usable oil per acre. Corn, the crop currently championed to produce bio-fuel for cars, produces a mere 18 gallons per acre.

Clearly the future for algae as a bio-fuel is promising. Using it will not affect the price of food the way corn, coconut or soy-based gases do. But the reality is that algae fuels are a long way off.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Gading Take FIVE: August 1--August 8

2008-08-09T00:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Business, Airlines, Transportation, Airports, Travel Deals

This was a week of a wide range of travel news that captured the essence of variety in the entertainment world.

On the classy end of life, Josh posted on a museum exhibit about Finding Grace Kelly in Paris.
On the opposite end, Iva gave us the scoop on a character actor who hit a flight attendant and a police officer.
Also, on the bad behavior side, Aaron offered details about a flight attendant suing televangelist Joel Osteen's wife.
If you want to see for yourself how celebrities behave, Grant told us about celeb spotting in Ann Arbor.
To see what a famous person's private jet looks like, check out Sir Richard Branson's sweet number.

There was also a wide range of details about how air travel can make you or break you.

U.S. Airways now charges for water.
Homeland Security can seize your laptop.
JetBlue will offer a passengers a pillow and a blanket set for a price.
Delta will offer in-flight Internet.
United Airlines' seats came loose and rolled backwards during take-off.

So, that's more than 5, but I saw patterns. Have a wonderful weekend!

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

JetBlue gives new terminal at JFK a dry run

2008-08-08T23:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Business, Airlines, Airports, News

JetBlue's new terminal at JFK opens up on October first, and the airline is making sure to run it's operations through the gauntlet before going live. We all remember what happened in Heathrow's T5 earlier this year when they didn't test their operations thoroughly enough: thousands of passengers and their luggage were separated and stranded, resulting in unruly passengers, thousands of complaints and an embarrased British Airports Authority.

To help simulate life in the fully operational T5, the New York City based airline has invited passengers to take the terminal on a dry run on August 23rd. That morning, over a thousand True Blue frequent flyers will converge on the terminal in a mock booking. Upon arriving at the airport they'll be divided into groups and instructed on their roles -- for example, four random people may be put together, given "luggage" and assigned an "itinerary" heading to Las Vegas.

Passengers will then go about as normal, checking in at the kiosks, sending their luggage through the system, going through the active TSA checkpoint and going as far as the gate before the simulation ends. Then, they'll do it in reverse as if just arriving from their destination.

The trial is meant to test the opertion of the entire integrated teminal. As JetBlue spokesman Bryan Baldwin mentioned earlier to Gadling today, each of the systems have been tested independently, but the true trial will be under operating conditions with real passengers -- which is what they want to create on August 23rd.

For their time, passengers will be awarded with JetBlue branded goodie bags, be fed and several may even win a flight or two on the airline. And they get to see the innards of the new T5, the long awaited oasis in JFK mayhem.

Unfortunately, the event has already booked and overbooked its capacity, so if you haven't already responded to your invite (or didn't get one), you may be out of luck. Keep an eye on Gadling and we'll try to get some good photos and reports of T5 during the event.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Happy birthday, Virgin America

2008-08-08T20:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, News

Virgin America, the low cost carrier that has been sending tremors through the airline industry, turns one year old today. In celebration, passengers on many of their flights today will be greeted with cake, treats and general merriment, the apparent modus operandi for any VA activity.

Pull up a carpet square as we take a look back at Virgin America over the past year.

2005: Virgin America (Then Virgin USA) secures funding from gazillionaire Richard Branson and submits DOT certificate application to operate in the States.

March 20, 2007: After a long legal battle to receive approval from the DOT, the airline is granted permission to fly.

August 8, 2007: Virgin America begins service on their inaugural flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to New York City. Airbus A320 aircraft feature advanced in flight entertainment systems and snazzy mood lighting. Hipsters and rejoice and announce that they already flew VA and "it was okay. I mean, we're kind of over it".

November 28, 2007: Victoria's Secret models show up on a New York - Los Angeles flight as the airline celebrates naming an aircraft after the ladies. Drinks, photos and skulduggery ensue at the after party in LA.

February 12, 2008: New service from San Francisco to San Diego is launched with a Valentine's Day flight and party at The Ivy in SD.

April 8th, 2008: Celebration for the LA-Seattle inaugural brings rockstars, hipsters and lowly bloggers together as the in-flight party continues. Gadling runs into David Cush on the flight who foreshadows some of the coming events.

June 18th, 2008: Superfly Wednesdays kick off as VA offers free drinks on Wednesday flights and further discounts at clubs across the country.

What's next for Virgin America? Approval for service into Chicago is well underway and hopefully the airline will be offering service to the Midwest soon. The airline also plans to be the first with full wi-fi service fleetwide by the end of the year.

Keep up the good work, Virgin America, and happy birthday.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

British Airways Will Repay Customers After Fraud Ruling

2008-08-08T19:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, News, Consumer Activism

If you flew British Airways between the U.S. and England from August 11, 2004 to March 23, 2006, you may be in luck. BA was caught charging passengers a fuel surcharge that went beyond the actual cost of the gas. The scandal also involved Virgin Atlantic, so travelers who flew with that airline during the above dates are eligible to get in on the action.

Don't start getting excited or jumping up and down like you've won the lottery. The maximum refund per person will be around $20. Still, that's four beers or five lattes or a fairly decent haircut (in some cities).

Those who are eligible for a refund can apply online with their ticket info, passport number, or frequent flier card. Those who didn't fly BA or Virgin can still feel good because, for once, big airlines got caught with their hands in passengers' pockets.

With most airlines going out of their way to cut costs and nickel and dime passengers with added fees, it might not be the last time something like this happens.

Several BA and Virgin execs involved in the surcharge scandal will be doing some hard time after being charged with fraud.

Related Article

10 tips for smarter flying

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Plane Answers: Breathe Normally?

2008-08-08T18:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Plane Answers

Welcome to Gadling's feature, Plane Answers, where our resident airline pilot, Kent Wien, answers your questions about everything from takeoff to touchdown and beyond. Have a question of your own? Ask away!

Dr. Roland asks:

Hello Kent,

I've been flying for years and can't get an answer to my question on the oxygen mask demo given by the flight attendants. Apparently, after you place the mask over your nose and mouth and breath normally-my favorite part-the plastic bag may not inflate. So why have this mask if it may or may not inflate!?

By now, we've all heard the flight attendants inform us that the bag on an oxygen mask may or may not inflate. But I really had to stop and think about why this is the case. In fact, since we use a completely different oxygen mask in the cockpit, it was time for a bit of research into the mechanics of a passenger mask.

It turns out that the oxygen flows continuously into your mask from chemically driven 'oxygen generators' as opposed to a tank of air. When you exhale, that oxygen would normally spill out the sides of the mask. So the bag is designed to collect the oxygen that isn't being used while you exhale, which increases the total amount of oxygen available and corrects for irregularities in breathing. It does this with a one-way check valve that prevents the oxygen from leaving the bag and entering the mask while you're exhaling.

David asks:

When I am flying commercially one thing I hate is the pain in my ears from the pressurization of the aircraft. I know it affects others too so I was wondering if pilots just don't get it or if it stops happening once you are used to it, or do you just get so used to it that it stops bothering you?

I've had one painful encounter with a blocked sinus when I was fifteen, but I've never had an issue since I've used the valsalva maneuver.

For the climb out, there's not much you should do except maybe yawn a bit and possibly chew some gum.

It's mainly during the descent that you'll need to head off any problems.

To do this, simply plug your nose and blow a bit once you sense that you're starting down (usually 30 minutes out). Carefully hold your nose and blow gently to pop your ears at least until the airplane starts to slow. You're home free once the airplane is below 10,000 feet, where the cabin altitude is now at sea level.

This technique should make a big difference for your next flight.

If you still have problems, bring some Afrin (an over the counter nasal decongestant) with you and use it about 45 minutes before descent or anytime you feel some pressure on the way down. I don't normally like to use Afrin as it causes me to clog up more after a few hours, but it really helps in these temporary situations.

I haven't run across many pilots with this issue, other than the occasional problem someone might have when flying with a cold. Perhaps it's something that you get used to.

Do you have a question about something related to the pointy end of an airplane? Ask Kent and maybe he'll use it for next Friday's Plane Answers feature.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Big in Japan: How to take a bath without losing your honor

2008-08-08T17:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Asia, Japan, Big in Japan

As I've said before, summer is in full effect here in Tokyo, which means that the temperature is soaring and the humidity is saturating. And, if your glands are anywhere near as prolific as mine are, this means that you're probably sweating through pretty much everything that you're wearing.

The Japanese are renowned for their admirable attention to hygiene and cleanliness, which presents a bit of a problem if your BO starts to act up in the long summers. While successive applications of a strong deodorant are certainly good measures to take before stepping on the subway, there is a uniquely Japanese way to stay so fresh and so clean.

Scattered throughout Tokyo are a good number of sentÅ (éæ¹¯), which are public and communal bath houses that you can seek refuge in if your sweat starts stink. Of course, taking a bath in Japan is a bit different than your home country, though fortunately it's not too difficult to scrub down without losing your honor.

On that note, today's posting is a quick and dirty (er, clean) guide to taking a bath the Japanese way...

As you might imagine, the most difficult part of taking a bath in Japan is sometimes finding a sentÅ, especially if you don't read or speak Japanese. Fortunately for lost foreigners, bath houses are usually marked by a curtain containing the kanji æ¹¯ (yu, hot water), or the corresponding hiragana, ã.

Once inside, remove your shoes and place them in the locker before paying your admission fee. Public sentÅs usually cost only a few dollars, though you might have to pay a bit more to rent a 'modesty towel' as well as some soap, shampoo and conditioner.

After paying, keep in mind that bath houses are divided into male and female quarters, so be sure to choose the right side. Again, if you can't read or speak Japanese, a good indicator is the color of the curtain marking each entrance: blue is for guys, pink is for gals.

The next room you enter will be a changing room, where you should strip down completely. While spas in the West allow you to wear a bathing suit, in Japan the preferred costume is your birthday suit. If you're feeling a bit shy, the previously mentioned modesty towel is usually big enough to cover your sensitive bits and pieces.

From here, it's time to enter the bathing area, though don't lose your honor by jumping straight into the pool. On the contrary, you need to scrub down everything (and I mean everything) at the line of shower stalls along the wall. The principle idea here is that you will be completely clean before entering the bath water, so when in doubt, keep scrubbing.

Once you're sufficiently clean, and you've removed all of the soap (this is important!), you can now enter the bath water. Generally speaking, it's considered bad form to dunk your head, enter the tub with your modesty towel or wash yourself vigorously in the bath. However, assuming you avoid these pitfalls, you can pretty much sprawl out and soak your cares away.

While you can stay as long as you'd like, a good hour or two is generally enough time to give yourself a good cleaning. On the way out, be sure to top up with a bottle of ice cold green tea, or if it's a bit later in the day, a frothy pint of draft beer. And, while there is a good chance that you'll start to sweat immediately upon leaving the onsen, at least you've washed away any potentially offending bacteria.

** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road-4 of 4: Are We There Yet?

2008-08-08T16:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Food and Drink, Stories, Greece, Switzerland

When on a road trip with family--i.e., spouse, kids and possibly in-laws or parents, a travel book that delves into similar situations is a welcome companion. There is an uplifting quality to being able to recognize aspects of the life you are living to what you are reading.

If any of you with children wonder if your best traveling days are over, pick up the 4th travel book I read on my road trip to Montana from Ohio and back. According to this one, your best days are at hand, but only if you grab your family and head out to points beyond the familiar.

#4 Are We There Yet? Perfect Family Vacations and Other Fantasies--Scott Haas

Laura and I knew if we got out and saw the countryside, everything would be fine. The mountains are filled with sanitariums and spas where for at least two centuries the wealthiest, most miserable, worried, and confused people in the world have come to look at the snow-capped Alps and listen to doctors and therapists tell them everything will be fine. Everything will be just fine. I would have liked to hear a doctor say those words to me. But how could we get into the mountains? We couldn't even see them through the rain and fog.
Scott Haas, the author of this book is a writer commentator for NPR, public radio who I have heard on "The Splendid Table." He also covers food and restaurants in "Here and Now." Besides knowing great food and the people who make it, Haas knows how to capture the essence of family vacations in a way that makes you think you are with him where he is, like the Swiss Alps as described in the excerpt.

Of the four books I read, his is one that fits an any one person's experience. I don't mean that the book is mundane, but what Haas does is show how people can incorporate lovely travel experiences into their lives with a family. It's the having a family in the experiences that actually make them grand.

The book starts off with his first vacation with his wife right after their daughter was born. The goal was to head off to Switzerland to stay in a cottage in order to enjoy their new family group. It ends with the children at ages 15 and 12 and the knowledge that life is shifting. The 12-year-old is a son.

Throughout the book, Haas makes observations about himself and his wife, children and the people who periodically join them --and of course the food they eat. This is not a how-to book, but more of a memoir that is engaging and funny. There are travel successes and travel nightmares, such as the time the fog set in in the alps and they had to crawl.

Instead of trotting between many places, the Haas family tends to go to one country and stay put. They stay several nights at once place in order to soak up the scene and blend in. Although, they take in sites, the notion is to not be tourists.

They also repeat places that they've been before--not all the time, but the places they like the best. Italy and Switzerland are the most favorite. Greece was not a hit because the food was so bad.

One aspect I really liked about this book is that squabbles are part of the deal when traveling with family, but the Haas family doesn't let that stop them from heading out. Haas shares his experiences so it feels as if you're sitting in the room watching and thinking, yep--I've been there.

He also illustrates how everyone does not have to be on the same page going at the same speed. One advantage of staying in a place for a length of time is that people can go at their own pace according to their own pattern.

Because Haas also is a psychologist, he has a certain way of making observations that are engaging. As I mentioned, he puts himself into the mix. As a person with a six-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter, I could relate to much of this book, although spending more than $400 at The French Laundry, is not in my realm of travel jaunts. That's where being a writer for "The Splendid Table" comes in handy.

I read this one through Iowa and Indiana.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Photo of the day #10,000! (8/07/08)

2008-08-08T06:11:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Photo of the Day

Today's photo of the day is listed in the Gadling Flickr photo pool as the 10,000th picture added. And for that, it deserves some credit. Luckily, it's a stunning shot of the Eiffel Tower. Congratulations, RuthannOC!

Are you a Flickr user who'd like to share a travel related picture or two for our consideration? Submit it to Gadling's Flickr group right now! We just might use it for our Photo of the Day!

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Actor on NWA plane strikes a flight attendant and hits an officer

2008-08-08T05:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines, Airports

After the issue with the wife of Joel Osteen, here comes another anger management case from the pressurized cabin.

A veteran character actor, E.D. Nixon Jr., was arrested for allegedly assaulting a flight attendant and a police officer at Memphis International Airport on Tuesday.

The 80-year-old actor, the son of a leading organizer in the Montgomery bus boycotts, is accused of striking a flight attendant on a Northwest Airlines plane and then hitting an officer.

Nixon was taken to the local hospital for treatment of high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar before being transported to jail in Memphis.

(He is being held on $1,000 bond, in case anyone is interested in bailing him out.)

Other crazy tales from the sky ...

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Flight attendant suing pastor Joel Osteen's wife for pre-flight assault

2008-08-08T04:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, News

A civil trial pitting a Continental Airlines flight attendant against the wife of Joel Osteen, America's most popular preacher, began Wednesday in Houston, Texas.

In the suit, the flight attendant, Sharon Brown, is accusing Victoria Osteen of shoving her against an airplane bathroom door and elbowing her in the left breast before a 2005 flight from Houston to Vail. The dispute was allegedly over a stain on Ms. Osteen's first-class seat.

Although the FAA has already fined Ms. Osteen $3,000 for interfering with a crew member, Ron Hardin, Ms. Osteen's lawyer, denies her client did anything wrong. "This is a very silly case," he says.

If she wins the suit, Ms. Brown wants only an apology from Ms. Osteen . No, I'm kidding-- she actually wants ten percent of her net worth too.

I'd take an elbow to the left breast for that.

More here.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Couple gets hitched while flying on top of two biplanes

2008-08-08T03:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Stories, United Kingdom, Video, News

I'm sure Orville and Wilbur Wright would get a kick out of seeing how their invention has opened doors to new ways of finding wedded bliss.

When Katie Hodgson and Darren McWalters climbed up onto the top of the biplanes--one each, they weren't the only ones getting strapped into place. A minister was strapped onto the 3rd plane.

My first thought was when I watched this video, I wonder where they found the daredevil minister? I was also impressed Katie was able to climb aboard in such a lovely dress. I also wondered if this couple knows the song, "On the Wings of Love?"

The wedding took place in Great Britain on Tuesday. For a detailed account, click here for an article I found. The groom used to be afraid of heights.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Weekend tip: Stockholm goes all out for 08.08.08

2008-08-08T02:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Sweden

Tomorrow (08.08.08) not only marks the start of the 2008 Olympic Games, but it's also the day for Stockholm's Go08 festival. Why does the 08.08.08 date carry significance for Stockholmites? It's their telephone area code; in Swedish they're often referred to as "08ers." So because Friday's calendar date was special the City of Stockholm decided to throw a party, and it's going to be full of music, food and dancing into the late hours.

Along with various musical acts playing in two of the cities main squares -- Kungsträdgården and Medborgarplatsen -- Stockholm's Old Town will be the battleground of a "water war." The water war isn't part of the city's official festivities, but if you're in the area and planning on doing some sightseeing you just might want to bring your water gun for the showdown.

Don't expect to pay too much for Go08; all activities are somewhere between free and 8 SEK (about $1.30). And what city-wide party wouldn't be complete without fireworks? There will be a whole 8 minutes and 8 seconds of them in the evening to look forward to. Seems like there isn't a better day to be in the Swedish capital.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Indonesia's New Hot Spot

2008-08-08T01:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Indonesia

No. It's not Bali or Jakarta. It's Bandung.

Jakarta's little sister has a rapidly growing tourism industry. Though most of the visitors are from the nearby mega-city, regional and international travelers have been arriving in ever increasing numbers.

Why?

There's no surf in Bandung, but...

It's cool (temperature-wise). Located in the highlands above Jakarta, it is the place to take a break from the tropical, sea-level heat. A two hour drive (that's not taking Jakarta's famed traffic into account) means it's within striking distance for residents and tourists.

Also on Bandung's plus side: an insanely diverse street food scene and a healthy number of shopping malls. Because of the high concentration of universities, there are some youthful and energetic nightlife venues.

Is there anything wrong with Bandung? If you consider a lack of public transit and an abundance of untrustworthy taxi drivers a problem, then yes, it is lacking in some areas. Popular shopping and eating spots get elbow-to-elbow on the weekend, a by-product of the city's growing vacation reputation.

The increasing number of visitors to the city shows that, for now anyway, the good is outweighing the bad. Tourists with their mind set on a Southeast Asian vacation will be hearing more about Bandung in the near future.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Top off that United frequent flyer account with Award Accelerator

2008-08-08T00:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Business, Airlines

United Airlines just fired up a tool on their website called Award Accelerator, a tool that essentially lets you pay to double or triple earned miles on any of your flights. Basically, you pay a sliding fee on check-in that effectively equates to three cents per mile, then at the end of your flight the airline dumps the bonus into your account.

So say you're flying 500 miles from Detroit to New York City. Pay fifteen bucks and you can earn 1000 miles for the trip, or pay thirty and you can earn 1500.

So when is this useful?

Well, if you divide the cost of a regular domestic award ticket, 25,000 miles, by 0.03 cents/mile, you get a total of 750$ spent for those miles. In other words, if you bought all of your miles for an award ticket this way you would be paying 750$ for that ticket -- too much for any old domestic ticket. So it doesn't make sense to double or triple your miles on every flight.

The instance in which this tool might be handy, however, is when you need just a few extra miles to reach that award tier from which you can book. You're at 24,000 miles, you'll earn 500 on your next trip and want to push that to 25,000, for example. In this case, it makes sense.

Just try not to make a habit out of it.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Euro notes in Spain have highest traces of cocaine

2008-08-07T23:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Europe, North America, Spain, United States, News

Money is probably the most contaminated thing you come in contact with on a daily basis, just because of the sheer number of people whose hands it goes through every day. It carries virus's and diseases, and even traces of drugs.

Spain is known to the largest consumer of cocaine in the world, so it's of little surprise that the money circulating there has high traces of cocaine. On average, Spanish notes contain 155 micrograms of the drug. The cocaine-money exchange, along with the fact that Euro bills are used to snort the stuff, are the main contributing factors. According to a report in the BBC, Spain has over 1 billion notes in circulation, of which an estimated 142 million have been used to snort cocaine.

Apparently, it's cheap to buy cocaine in Europe (€60 a gram) because of efforts too boost production by Colombian paramilitaries who need money for weapons, and Spain is the main country through which they smuggle the drugs in. In fact, yesterday the Spanish government busted a Venezuelan-registered ship carrying 2.5 tonnes of cocaine and arrested 11 people of which 6 were Spaniards.

U.S. bills come as a close second with the notes containing an average of between 2.9 and 28.8 micrograms; however, in 1996, upto 1,300 micrograms were found on some of the bills.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Where to go in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. Two suggestions. Intelligent Travel needs more

2008-08-07T21:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Blogs

Over at Intelligent Travel, editor, Janelle Nanos is heading to Colorado this weekend, specifically to Denver (for Friday evening) and Boulder (for the rest of the weekend). She's looking for suggestions for what she might do and where she might eat. Hiking is one of the things Janelle is interested in doing.

As a person who as been both to Denver and Boulder, I have my ideas, although I haven't done any hiking at either place. I have one suggestion for Boulder for a thing to do, and one idea for a place to eat. I have more, but for now, I'm highlighting two. ,.,Both are worthy of a post on their own, and I've gushed about them to friends and relatives.

A friend told me about Banjo Billy 's Bus Tour when she heard I was heading to Boulder. This tour was about the best one I've ever taken and I am so fond of tours.

The bus is a restructured school bus that looks a bit like a shack. The seats are horse saddles or living room couches and recliners. The tour takes in the lore of Boulder, like who was murdered in which building, and where the ghosts hang out--that sort of thing. As well as teaching much about Boulder lore and history, it's a hoot--very funny. My daughter and son loved it too.

For a place to eat, Boulder Dushanbe Tea House is exquisite. My daughter and I ate out on the patio. I can't remember exactly what we ate, but the the food and atmosphere were fabulous. We had the loveliest drinks. Both of them involved hibiscus. Mine was the version with alcohol.

Those are my two ideas. If you have others let us know, but most importantly, let Janelle know by going to Intelligent Travel and posting a comment on her post. Thanks!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Product review - Plane Quiet Platinum noise canceling headphones

2008-08-07T20:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling Gear Review

This review is quite a "scoop"; it's the first online review of the new Plane Quiet Platinum noise canceling headphones. These headphones are developed in the USA by the "Outside the box group", who have been around for almost 4 years, and have become quite successful in bringing affordable noise canceling products to the marketplace. The brains behind this company are David and Renee Dillinger, David was a commerical pilot and Renee a flight attendant, so they have quite a lot of experience in air travel.

The headphones arrive in one of those impossible to open plastic blister packages, so if you buy them at the airport, be sure to pack a chainsaw in your carry-on bag. Inside the package you'll find the headphones themselves, a user guide, 2 AAA batteries, a headphone jack adapter, a 2-prong adapter, a carrying pouch and a smaller pouch for storing the various accessories.

The Plane Quiet Platinum headphones feel terrific. There is a good solid feel to every part of them. The headband is covered in real leather, just like the ear cups. Each ear piece folds 90 degrees, making it easy to store them. Each side also has a clear marking for the left and right channel, and they extend 1.5 inches, to ensure you'll always find the perfect fit.This review is quite a "scoop"; it's the first online review of the new Plane Quiet Platinum noise canceling headphones. These headphones are developed in the USA by the "Outside the box group", who have been around for almost 4 years, and have become quite successful in bringing affordable noise canceling products to the marketplace. The brains behind this company are David and Renee Dillinger, David was a commerical pilot and Renee a flight attendant, so they have quite a lot of experience in air travel.

The headphones arrive in one of those impossible to open plastic blister packages, so if you buy them at the airport, be sure to pack a chainsaw in your carry-on bag. Inside the package you'll find the headphones themselves, a user guide, 2 AAA batteries, a headphone jack adapter, a 2-prong adapter, a carrying pouch and a smaller pouch for storing the various accessories.

The Plane Quiet Platinum headphones feel terrific. There is a good solid feel to every part of them. The headband is covered in real leather, just like the ear cups. Each ear piece folds 90 degrees, making it easy to store them. Each side also has a clear marking for the left and right channel, and they extend 1.5 inches, to ensure you'll always find the perfect fit.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Product review - iFrogz Audiowrapz for the iPod Nano

2008-08-07T19:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling Gear Review

If you have been keeping up with my reviews, you'll have realized that I love taking my music with me on the road. Previous reviews have looked at a portable speaker, an iPod battery pack and a pair of noise canceling iPhone headphones. Clearly, you will have seen the trend by now; I love gadgets like this.

My review today is no different. The iFrogz Audiowrapz are the first iPod case with built in passive speakers.

The Audiowrapz are made for the newest generation iPod Nano, and provide a dual function; they protect the iPod, and they turn your little Nano into what we used to call "a ghetto blaster". The audiowrapz case is made of silicone rubber, but it has been treated with a non-stick coating to prevent dust and other debris sticking to it.

To use the case, you simply fold the back down, and slide your iPod Nano into it. The case connects to the headphone jack on the bottom of your iPod. If you want to listen to your headphones, you can use the "pass through" jack on the bottom of the case, when you insert your headphones, the speakers turn off. When your iPod is in the Audiowrapz case, you will not have access to the dock connector on the bottom, so you will need to remove it for charging or syncing.

The speakers in the audiowrapz case are "passive", which means they don't require batteries. Of course, with passive speakers, you won't get the same volume as a set of powered speakers (yeah, I was just joking by comparing it to a ghetto blaster), but the sound is more than enough to provide some nice background music, or even to wake you up in the morning if you use the alarm setting on your iPod.

Included in the package is of course the case, but you also get an iPod screen protector. The iFrogz Audiowrapz are currently on sale for just $14.99, and you can select one of 8 colors, varying from boring gray, to bright pink. The Audiowrapz were the only case to be voted "best of show" at the 2008 Macworld and CES trade shows by iLounge and iProng magazine, so don't just take my word for it; this case rocks!

Gallery: iFrogz Audiowrapz review

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daily deal - Kensington MP3 car accessories up to 25% off

2008-08-07T18:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling's Daily Deal

My daily deal for today is an assortment of Kensington MP3 car stereo accessories. These products come with a double whammy of discounts; Amazon has them on sale for up to 25% off, and Kensington will throw in a $10 or $15 rebate.

None of the products in this list have an integrated FM transmitter, so be sure to check whether your car stereo has a line-in jack. If you are looking for an affordable FM transmitter for your iPod, then check out this Kensington device, on sale for just $22 (was $64.97).

The rebates are valid until August 11th, and you can find the rebate form here.

As always, purchases over $25 ship for free, and no tax is charged in most states.

There are four different products included in this promotion:

LiquidAux iPod and iPhone carkit with wireless remote ($49.24 after $10 rebate)
LiquidAux deluxe iPod and iPhone carkit with wireless remote ($55.92 after $10 rebate)
LiquidAux Bluetooth carkit with remote for music phones ($67.48 after $15 rebate)
Car charger deluxe for iPod and iPhone ($36.94 after $10 rebate)
Portable battery pack for iPod and iPhone ($46.94 after $10 rebate)

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road-3 of 4: So Many Enemies, so Little Time

2008-08-07T17:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Stories, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Books

#3. So Many Enemies, So Little Time: An American Woman in All the Wrong Places--Elinor Burkett

When I chose this book as one of my road trip to Montana books, the title caught my attention. As an American woman, also hooked on travel, I wanted to delve into someone else's experiences. What I found is a book that taught me much--always a delight when on the road.

Excerpt:

But as I trudged to school each day and ambled through the markets, I couldn't find the face of hatred. I saw worry that a flood of Afghan refugees might flee north, washing extremists across the border. I heard fear that homegrown fundamentalists might be emboldened by the fires lighting Manhattan's night. Mostly, I sensed the same resignation that had engulfed everyone I knew, all across the plane, that we were captives to forces we had not yet begun to dissect.

Elinor Burkett is a woman who is not afraid to take chances when she travels, but is not fool-hardy. As a journalist, she knows how to make and use her connections to help her access people and places.

When she and her husband Dennis traveled to Kyrgyzstan to live after she received a Fulbright to teach journalism at a college there, their purpose was to shake up their lives a bit so that they didn't settle into complacency. They wanted some more adventures under their belt. After September 11, there was worry across the globe for what exactly that might mean, but the two of them decided to stay put.

Since I was pregnant living in India at the same time, wondering what my family and I should do when faced with a few of the same questions of safety, reading Burkett's take on her decisions and what was happening in her world added depth to my own experiences.

Burkett's book has several storyline threads. One of them is what it's like to teach journalism in Kyrgyzstan when students do not have questioning authority is also part of their make-up. This also reminded me of my own working in another country experiences. I felt better about my own reactions after Burkett's account.

Burkett tidily weaves together details about Kyrgyzstan's history, politics and topography with her musings and observations about the people and her experiences about what it's like to set up house there.

Along with her time in Kyrgyzstan, Burkett and her husband traveled to Afghanistan after 9/11 where she interviewed several women about the effects of living in Afghanistan. She also spent time in Iran, Iraq, Mongolia, China, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. As an aside, which really isn't an aside, but one that Burkett doesn't rest on too often is she is Jewish.

One of the things I really, really, really liked about this book is how much I learned and came to see the places Burkett traveled as those filled with engaging people who are nuanced and, for the most part, good. Burkett is has an authoritative voice that I trust. I believe that her impressions are not histrionic and ones developed to make a sale. This is one smart, on the ball woman who is not all full of herself.

I was also touched by how close she became with several of her students and they with her.

Burkett also doesn't sugar coat how complicated it can be to be from one culture with different values trying to understand other cultures. She also sticks to her own convictions throughout, although this does not mean she changes her perceptions. It means she knows who she is and stays true.

For book 1 of 4, click here.

Book 2 of 4, click here.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Galley Gossip: Ma'am, is that a frying pan in your bag?

2008-08-07T16:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, Galley Gossip

"Ma'am," said the TSA agent as he stared at the screen in disbelief.

I gulped. Oh no, here we go, I thought, as I stood in line and watched him sitting on the stool inspecting my bag on the screen in front of him. I smiled a friendly smile and tried to act nonchalant, as if I hadn't been dreading this moment all day. Man, I knew this was going to happen!

The TSA agent looked at me, and back at the screen. "Is that a frying pan in your suitcase?"

"Yes, sir, that is, in fact, a frying pan in my bag," I laughed.

All I could do was laugh. Not only had my grandpa given me a cast iron skillet (or two - okay three!), earlier that morning, he'd also given me a pound of potatoes from his garden in Texas. Luckily I found all the items he'd hidden in my bag before leaving for the airport. I only kept one cast iron skillet, and in my defense, it was the smallest one.

"Is everything okay?" I asked the TSA agent as he looked over his shoulder and made eye contact with another agent.

Guess not. Because now there were three agents surrounding the screen. They whispered amongst themselves and studied the frying pan with great intensity. It's just a frying pan, I wanted to say, but didn't, because now all three of them were looking at me. I, of course, just smiled and held my breath. Normally, in this kind of situation I'll crack a joke, say something silly about cooking eggs for the crew, but this time I kept my mouth shut.

NOTE: Always - ALWAYS - keep your mouth shut when TSA is inspecting your bag. And do whatever they say. Whether you like it or not.

It seemed like an eternity before the backup agents walked away from the screen. The one left sitting on the stool just shook his head and didn't say another word as the conveyor belt started to move again. When my suitcase popped out on the other side I thanked the guy and went on my merry way. That was close. Maybe a little too close.

TSA, I'm sure, has seen it all. And then some! I mean if I'm hauling a frying pan across the country, I wonder what other people are packing in their bags. It got me thinking.

"Excuse me," I said to a TSA agent standing beside me at the Wendy's counter at La Guardia airport last week. I had just ordered an iced tea, a little treat before starting a killer three-day trip flying in and out of Miami. (I still don't know what I was doing on that trip.) After explaining to the TSA agent I was in the process of writing a post about weird things people pack, I went on to ask, "What strange things have you seen on the job?"

As the TSA agent reached for a bag a food, the words, "Nothing too strange," were mumbled.

"Really?" I said. Now I was completely disappointed. Certainly this person had seen something! I handed a tired looking cashier lady two dollars and grabbed my drink. "I'm surprised to hear that."

As I punched a straw through the plastic lid, I almost didn't hear the agent mumble, "Well, there was a lady last week who..."

I spun around. "Who what? Tell me!"

"Kept setting off the security machine. We couldn't figure out what it was. Finally we had to take her aside and that's when she told us she was wearing a remote controlled (the following two words are my words - not the TSA agent's words) body massager."

My mouth dropped open and my eyes had to be bugging out of my head. "A what!"

"In her underpants," the agent said matter of fact, as if this kind of thing happened daily, before heading back to work.

Now I've never seen anything like that before, and I hope I never do, but once, while flying an international trip, I did happen upon a very strong senior mama carrying two rollaboards down a flight of stairs where the crew van awaited on the tarmac in London.

"Are you a commuter?" I asked eying both bags, one in each hand, as I stood feeling so teeny tiny beside a gigantic 767.

"No, sweetie, this is my Cappuccino maker," the flight attendant said, nodding at the bag on the right. "I make coffee for the crew in the mornings in my room. You're welcome to join us if you'd like."

And I did join in for coffee the next morning, since our layover rooms did not have coffee makers. Just tea pots. We were in London, remember? Thirteen years later I can say that toting a coffee maker across the ocean is not the norm. However, it's not-not the norm either, because when relaying this story to another flight attendant she laughed and said, "What about flight attendants who bring their sewing machines with them on their layovers?"

Apparently we have a hat maker amongst our ranks.

While I've never met the hat guy, I did watch in shock as a flight attendant carried a very large item through airport security and onto the airplane. I must add that the flight attendant dragging the monstrous machine also wore a wet lopsided bee hive of a bun on the side of her head. I couldn't decide which was more disturbing, the item being hauled through the airport or the hair.

Crazy is on the plane, each and every flight, but usually crazy is sitting in a seat and waiting for a drink - not working the other side of the cart. With me.

"Excuse me, ma'am" I said to the flight attendant with the screwy bun, channeling the TSA agent above. "Is that a vacuum cleaner attached to your bag?"

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Slashdot Users Hammer Verified Identity Pass, Airport Security Procedures, Registered Traveler

2008-08-07T09:10:00.001-07:00

After an unencrypted Verified Identity Pass laptop containing pre-enrollment records of "approximately 33,000 customers" was "discovered to be missing from San Francisco International Airport on July 26," the Transportation Security Administration prohibited Verified from enrolling new participants in its Clear registered traveler program. Verified has since found the laptop and said "a preliminary investigation" found that it "was not accessed from the time it went missing." The episode created a lot of chatter on the huge Slashdot community of "nerds," which slammed Verified and threw in a whole bunch of great points about airline security and the registered traveler program, including:

Photo of the Day (8-06-08)

2008-08-07T08:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Photo of the Day

Today is my dad's birthday. As he's become older, he's become a real world traveler. His next major trip is to the Philippines. It's hard to keep up. He's also been to Maui where Global Voyager snapped this shot. Even though my dad doesn't jump off cliffs like this guy, the heading for the photo "I can fly" reminded me of my dad. Traveling is how he soars.

Besides, if you've ever taken action shots, you'll know that the chances of capturing such a perfect image where the person is suspended, just so, is not easy. Notice how the clouds are reflected in the water. Neat touch.

If you have an image you'd like to share, send it our way at Gadling's Flickr photo pool. It may become a Photo of the Day.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

How long before we're able to travel in isolation?

2008-08-07T07:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Transportation, News

It depends on my mood whether I want to chat to the person next to me when I travel. I'm quite happy reading my book, listening to music, gazing outside the window, or taking a nap on a train/bus/plane. Although not often have I had the misfortune of being stuck with an annoying chatterbox in the next seat, I have had many mental episodes of I-just-want-to-break-his-jaw-so-he-will-keep-quiet.

That's when I wonder: how long before transport systems with private, one-person seats become a norm?

Australian designer Hamit Kanuni Kuralkan probably had his share of bad next-seat passengers in order to come up with this design(see image): a train with personal booths or capsules to sit in by yourself.

Although not a bad thought, I look at the design and the words that override everything possibly positive about the idea are "claustrophobia" and "depressing". What if I pass out? And what happens if I want to travel with a friend?

I rather have some open space and an annoying neighbor.

[Via: Boing Boing]

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

How long before we're able to travel in isolation?

2008-08-07T06:11:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Transportation, News

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Finding Grace Kelly in Paris

2008-08-07T05:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Festivals and Events, France, News

Those looking for a taste of the glamorous side of the 1950s can find it in Paris. The City of Lights and snobby waiters was a hot spot for the Brad Pitts and Angelina Jolies of yesteryear.

Grace Kelly is probably the ultimate example of 50s fame. An exhibit at the Hotel de Ville showcases the life and times of the American movie star who the French embraced after she married Prince Rainier of Monaco and became Princess Grace.

The exhibit is no mere collection of black and white snapshots. Kelly's Oscar is on display alongside ball gowns and other articles of clothing. Also of interest are a collection of Kelly's letters. I suppose it might be interesting to learn that people actually wrote letters once upon a time, but Kelly's letters where to the who's who of the day. The collection includes correspondences with Alfred Hitchcock and Jackie Kennedy.

So this exhibit might be a bit over the top, but perhaps a bit refreshing. After all, Grace Kelly defined glamor before glamor became all silicone and botox. I doubt there will be a similar exhibit featuring any of today's starlets in 50 years.

Source

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Clear Security secure?

2008-08-07T04:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Activism, Transportation, Airports, News

If you've passed through airport security at more than a few airports in the past year, you've probably noticed Clear security lanes. The Cliff Notes version of their service is that they take a retina scan, store some info and let you get through screening faster -- for a fee, of course.

I have to admit, I don't know anyone that uses it. Most business travelers I know fly either in First Class (so don't have to go through the long security line) or plan well enough in advance to anticipate long security lines (so don't worry about it). And I think that some people are concerned about giving biometric and personal data to a third party to store in a database -- you know, that whole privacy thing.

But surely a security company would keep tight control over and even encrypt that private data, right? Not necessarily. According to cbs5tv, a Clear laptop at San Francisco International airport was boosted the other day, along with the personal data of over 30,000 members in the system. New applications are on hold while the company that operates the checkpoint, Verified Identity Pass Inc., tracks down the notebook.

I'm glad I didn't apply for a Clear Pass last year.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Hong Kong-Macau Bridge to be Built

2008-08-07T03:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: China, News

Hong Kong is now connected to Macau by ferry. Long-running negotiations for a bridge connection between the two cities, and their mainland neighbor Zhuhai, have led to nothing but hurt feelings and finger pointing. Enter Beijing. The government of China has a rare chance to play the good guy in the former colonies. And it will only cost them a few billion dollars. According to The Standard, Beijing has stepped in to take over the project and will spend 7 billion yuan (HK$ 8 billion) to get things off the ground.

The result: in 6-7 years it will be possible to drive from the mainland to Macau to Hong Kong without having to board a ferry or even get out of your car. Impatient compulsive gamblers will not have to deal with sea-sickness or tardy ferryboat captains on the way to Macau. The bridge will also do wonders for the mainland, turning an already crazy shopping scene into an orgy of consumerism and name-brand knockoffs.

But what about the storied ferry service? Will it disappear? Probably not. When the tunnel was built under Victoria Harbor, ferries continued to do a brisk business up above. The same would probably be true for the HK-Macau service. Emphasis on probably.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

$69 portable hard drive enclosure adds keypad password protection

2008-08-07T02:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling Gear Review

Keeping strangers away from your data has suddenly become a hot topic, but whether the US Government is after your information, or just your everyday thief, it always makes sense to protect your files.

Hong Kong based Brando, has introduced a portable hard drive enclosure with a password keypad. Without knowing the access code, strangers won't even be able to access the hardware. If you want to take paranoid to a new level, you can use double protection by encrypting the data stored on the drive.

This enclosure does not include a hard disk, so you'll have to invest some more in a 2.5" hard drive, which will cost you upwards of $65, plus you'll have to install it yourself.

In the coming months, I'm sure we will see more of these products pop up. The combination of the US government admitting that they can (and will) seize suspicious equipment and the general fear of the Chinese government during the Olympics is driving paranoia to a new level. Of course, some of that paranoia is justified.

When it comes to securing your data, the only 100% safe method is to leave important files at home, don't carry anything you wouldn't want to share with a stranger, and never ever login to any kind of site unless you are 100% sure the connection you are using is secure. Of course, the first sign for any customs official that you might be hiding something, is a hard drive enclosure with a password keypad, so you really can't ever win.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

U.S. Airways will charge for that beverage, unless you make a fuss

2008-08-07T01:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, Consumer Activism

A few days ago Josh brought us a report about U.S. Airways beginning to charge customers for water -- bottled for now.

On August 1, U.S. Airways introduced fees for beverages like soda, juice and water that used to be free.

U.S. Airways is the first domestic carrier to go this route. Other carriers are all but guaranteed to follow suit soon.

It's pretty much a fact of life flying in America these days: If it's on board, it's going to cost you.

That is, unless you feel like making a big fuss about it.

Airline passengers have an ally against these seemingly trivial beverage charges: Flight attendants, the majority of whom are adamantly in favor of revoking them.

The New York Times reported the other day that the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the major flight attendant union, is objecting to charging the $1 and $2 for nonalcoholic drinks. The union went a step further: If a passenger objects, flight attendants probably will just give them the drink for free.

"We're trained to keep order on an airplane and defuse confrontation," Mike Flores, president of U.S. Airways' chapter of the union, tells the Times. "If it take giving a free beverage to somebody to do that, so be it. I expect there will be flight attendants who just give everything away."

A U.S. Airways spokesman tells the Times that the airline has advised its 6,700 flight attendants to "err on the side of the customer" when making a decision whether to defuse a confrontation by handing out a free beverage.

So, there you have it folks: A major domestic carrier saddling its employees with a new fee policy that they do not want to enforce, and in many cases likely won't in the end.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

U.S. Airways will charge for that beverage, unless you make a fuss

2008-08-07T00:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, Consumer Activism

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Kodak Zi6 HD camcorder now available for pre-order!

2008-08-06T23:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling Gear Review

After spending the past couple of decades surrounded by gadgets, it usually takes a lot to get me excited about an upcoming product. My inbox gets bombarded with product announcements and updates to existing products 100's of times a week. But there is currently one product "coming soon" that is very high on my "must have" list, and it's from a pretty unlikely source.

HD video capable? Check. Built in USB connector? Check. Runs off AA batteries? Check. Can be expanded with cheap SD cards? Check. Weighs just 3.8 ounces? Check. Costs less than $180? CHECK!

The Kodak Zi6 is a handheld digital camcorder, much like the highly successful "Flip Camcorder" that made its way to retail stores in the past year. The ZI6 is different though; it can record HD video files. No longer will you have to settle for grainy and stuttering movie clips of your kids first dive into the pool, you'll be able to film their antics in 720p HD at 60 frames per second.

HD video recording is in its infancy, a "real" HD camcorder still costs around $1000, but Kodak have managed to shave as much off the price of the Zi6 as possible, and it will be retailing for just $179.95. Of course, at this price point, you don't get a nice optical zoom, and the image quality will be the lowest HD resolution (720p), and not 1080i or 1080p like a high-end camcorder can produce.

The camera should be available within the next month, but Kodak have made it easier to get your hands on it, as soon as it is available thanks to their new pre-order page.

A quick recap of the specifications; the Zi6 can record in wide screen 720p HD at 60 frames per second, it has a 2.4" LCD screen, an integrated pop-out USB jack, direct-to-Youtube uploads and it can be expanded using SD and SDHC memory cards up to 32GB. The Zi6 has just 128MB of internal memory, so an additional SD card is a must if you plan to record HD video.

The Kodak Zi6 ships with AA rechargeable batteries and recharger, AV and HD video cables (component), a wrist strap, a pouch and a special version of Arcsoft Media Impression, for editing HD video. Hopefully I'll be able to post a full review as soon as I can get my hands on one.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Kodak Zi6 HD camcorder now available for pre-order!

2008-08-06T22:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling Gear Review

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daily deal - Garmin c580 GPS device with MSN Direct service

2008-08-06T21:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling's Daily Deal

Sorry folks, my daily deal for today is yet another GPS unit, but this deal was too good to keep from you.

Inside this Garmin c580 is a special FM receiver that can pick up a data stream being broadcast on some radio stations. This data sends the most recent traffic information directly to the GPS receiver. In addition to traffic, you even get the local weather, gas prices and movie times. Imagine being able to tell your GPS unit that you want to be direct to the cheapest gas station within a 5 mile radius!

And to make things even better, the Garmin c580 has a built in handsfree carkit, which allows you to make phone calls though the integrated speaker and included microphone. You will need a Bluetooth enabled phone to use this feature.

The MSN direct service is not nationwide, so please check the MSN coverage site if you are thinking of purchasing this for the online services. The Garmin c580 comes with a full year of free service from MSN direct, and once this year is over, you can renew for just $49.95 a year (or $129.95 for the lifetime of the unit).

The device itself runs the familar Garmin interface, with their comprehensive Navteq maps, and with the built in text-to-speech feature, you'll get real spoken instructions (turn left on main street).

A device with these specifications normally runs around $499, but it is on sale today for just $179.99.

So, to recap; you get comprehensive maps of North America, handsfree calling through Bluetooth, text to speech for directions and street names, an MP3 player, online services from MSN direct with traffic, weather, gas prices and movie times, the patented Garmin lock theft protection system and even the ability to add your own custom points of interest.

You'll find the Garmin c580 on Amazon.com, which means free shipping and no tax for many states.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The 10 oddest travel guides you'll ever read (if you can find them)

2008-08-06T20:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Books

One day in college I was combing through the library's shelves for a book when I stumbled onto a weathered, dusty hardcover called Afloat and Ashore on the Mediterranean by a man named Lee Meriwether, first published in 1898.

I continued to thumb through it at various times that semester, liking not only the upbeat narrative but also the obscurity of both the book and the author (I have a thing for these types of travel books).

Lee Meriwether might be the most obscure American travel writer there is. He penned dozens of books in his lifetime, all seeming to be out of print, some with direct titles like Recollections of Memphis and some with decidedly clunkier ones like Carrying Civilization to Ethiopia Benefits the Whole World as well as Italy and Ethiopia.

I just love the clumsy redundancy of that title. And the best Meriwether title, almost a book in itself: Seeing Europe by Automobile: A 5,000-mile Motor Trip through France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy; with an Excursion into Andorra, Corfu, Dalmatia and Montenegro.

Anyway, when Meriwether died in St. Louis in 1966, at the age of 103, his travel tombs, apparently never big sellers, had long been forgotten -- by most, at least.

But not by Slate..

The online travel magazine cites Meriwether's A Tramp Trip: How To See Europe on 50 Cents a Day in its recent list of the 10 wackiest travel guide books ever written. It was coming across Meriwether's name on this list the other day that rekindled memories of that discovery in those shelves years ago.

Tramp, written in 1896, could be the first shoestring guidebook ever, as well as an early backpacker narrative, and as such probably should be regarded as an important milestone. It isn't really, no doubt because you can't find the book anywhere.

Slate's list highlights nine other works all similar in their inconsequentialness, including one written solely for an audience of English roof-climbers.

The titles:

The Truth About Hunting in Today's Africa, and How To Go on Safari for $690.00, by George Leonard Herter (1963)
A Guide Through the District of the Lakes in the North of England, by William Wordsworth (5th edition, 1835)
Das Generalgouvernement, by Karl Baedeker (1943)
Fodor's Indian America, by Jamake Highwater (1975)
Bollocks to Alton Towers, by Robin Halstead, et al. (2006)
Travel Guide of Negro Hotels and Guest Houses, by Afro-American Newspapers (1942)
Lonely Planet Guide to Micronations, by John Ryan et al. (2006)
The Night Climbers of Cambridge, by "Whipplesnaith" (1937)
A Tramp Trip: How To See Europe on Fifty Cents a Day, by Lee Meriwether (1886)
Overland to India and Australia, by the BIT Travel & Help Service (1970)

You'll have to read the story to get a brief summary of each book and what makes them odd.

The strangest travel guide I know didn't make Slate's cut. That would have to be A Journey Around My Room by Xavier de Maistre (1785), which is about, well, just that: A journey from a bed to a desk. It's still in print.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road. 2 of 4: Honeymoon with my Brother

2008-08-06T19:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Stories, Books

When I was picking out books to read on my road trip to Montana from Ohio and back, I wanted a mix of types so that each book would be distinct from each other. The titles also grabbed me. The premise of the second one I read is unusual. That also led me to check it out from one of the branches of the Columbus Public Library.

#2. Honeymoon With My Brother: a memoir -- Franz Wisner.

Excerpt: Latin America during our winter, its summer, was the obvious next segment. But that was too far in advance. What if one of us fell in love with a tour guide from Thailand? What if we wanted to make some money teaching English in Indonesia?

What if Kurt and I want to strangle each other?

Franz Wisner, the author of this gem, was dumped by the love of his life right before his wedding day. It's a long story. Wisner gives you the gist of the fiasco that broke his heart, along with his job shifts as a high-powered political lobbyist and fundraiser that led to his decision to pull up stakes and make major changes.

In the process of the storytelling, you find out specific details about how Wisner and his brother Kurt turned into world travelers. His brother, recently divorced, agreed to take an extended trip with Wisner in order to regain his own footing. This trip turned into two years.

One reason I liked this read is because Wisner doesn't hide. Part of travel is the personality you bring to it. Wisner seems like a likable guy who falls in love with aspects of the 53 countries he and his brother visited. In the process of their journey, he is willing to let go of his notions about himself and others.

This book truly points out how travel not only connects you with the world, it connects you to yourself. The details about the countries they spent extended amounts of time are carefully observed. It's one that made me want to hit the road immediately, even though I was already on the road in Montana and South Dakota when I was reading it.

Wisner's story also elucidates just how terrific travel is for people who are in need of time to transition from one time of life to another, and shows just how easy it can be to get up and go once the wheels are in motion.

Yes, you can sell your house for example. It is possible to get rid of your car. It's also possible to transition back to the U.S., or wherever you call home, when you need to. Having friends in various places helps and so does chucking guide books. Somewhere in the middle of their trip, they chucked guide books and traveled to places based on instinct and recommendations.

Because this book has a story line that continues throughout, this is one to read if you have time to read every day or so. It's engaging, though, so I found it hard to put down.

According to the book's jacket, Wisner is continuing with his writing and traveling.

For book 1 of 4, click here

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Big in Japan: The best Japanese summer food & drink

2008-08-06T18:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Food and Drink, Asia, Japan, Big in Japan

After several long weeks on the road in East Africa, Big in Japan is back once more, bringing you weird, wacky and wonderful news from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Summer is in full effect here in Tokyo, which means that the temperature is soaring and the humidity is saturating.

Fortunately, the Japanese have a number of culinary treats that are perfect for beating the heat and staying nourished during their tropical summers. While tumblers of hot sake and steamy bowls of ramen are great for warming up during the winter months, it's time to add a few more dishes to your culinary lexicon.

So, without further adieu, today's post is all about the best Japanese summer food & drink...

SÅmen (ç´ éºº) You know it's summer in Japan when the shops start serving these thin, white noodles made of wheat flour. While heavier noodle soups can slow you down in the summer heat, sÅmen sit light in the belly, and are simply dressed up with a lightly flavored dipping sauce. Special variations of sÅmen are made with powdered tea, and can easily be identified by their light green color.

Zaru-soba (ãããã°) Soba noodles are delicious when served in a hot fishy broth, but they're just as divine when served ice cold on a bamboo plate known as a zaru. Made principally of buckwheat, soba noodles are high in fiber, and typically garnished with shredded bits of seaweed. Like sÅmen, soba noodles are served with a light dipping sauce made of sweetened soy and mirin cooking wine.

Unagi (ããªã) Nothing says summer more than charcoal-roasted freshwater eel, which is reported to give you the strength and virility you need to get through the long, hot days. While unagi can be a seriously gourmet fare, locals swear by the bento boxes from the convenience stores, which are perfectly-packaged for a picnic in the park. Best served with a dash of ground white pepper, good unagi has a soft texture and a complex taste.

Jasmine Tea (ã¸ã£ã¹ãã³è¶) The Japanese are devoted tea drinkers, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they have a specialty summer brew. Jasmine tea, which is served ice-cold and unsweetened, is a fragrant beverage that is light, fruity and low in acidity. You can buy pre-packaged bottles in any of Japan's million or so vending machines.

Draft Beer (ç"ã"ã¼ã«) Summer in Japan is punctuated by a number of outdoor festivals, ranging from huge open air rock concerts to fireworks along the riverside. At any of these events, sample a few frothy pints of nama-biiru, which is a wonderfully alcoholic way to stay cool. Of course, the tropical sun can seriously ruin your day, so don't forget to stay hydrated as passing out in the public eye isn't the most honorable way to go.

Bon appetit, or as they say in Japanese, ittadakimasu.

** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

"No Reservations" season 4, episode 15: American Southwest

2008-08-06T17:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Food and Drink

Location: After four weeks of glamorous international travel, Tony returns "to his roots" with an adventure in the American Southwest, road-tripping it across the arid desert stretching from Southern California through Arizona to New Mexico and on to a final stop in Texas.

Episode Rating: One-and-a-half bloody meat cleavers out of five. Given that this summer has seen one of the more memorable strings of No Reservations episodes in recent memory, the American Southwest has to be one of the blander installments. It's not that Mr. Bourdain ever makes for uninteresting television or that his destination is uninteresting - far from it. It's just that compared to trips to Laos, Colombia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, it was kind of a letdown.

Summary: OK, so last week we were in Uruguay. And before that Saudi Arabia, Colombia and Laos. Where to this week, Tony? The American Southwest? Aw gee, well I guess that's OK - there's still plenty of cool stuff to see. To get things started, Tony rents a BMW for an old-fashioned American road trip and peels off into the sunset. The car choice was certainly a departure from Tony's usual vintage car selection, but an appropriate one nonetheless. Things get going just southeast of Palm Springs at the Salton Sea. Read on after the jump to find out what happened.Although it appears to be a marvel of nature, the Salton Sea was formed by a man-made accident in 1905, flooding a low-lying desert plain near the Colorado River. For a short period the area was a vacation boomtown, though lately it's largely become a ghost town. Tony makes a pit stop at the local hangout, the Ski Inn. After working up an appetite chatting with the locals, Tony orders the house specialty, the patty melt. It's gooey and cheesy with a nice hamburger patty in the middle. Nothing spectacular, but certainly tasty.

Not wanting to relish his patty melt too long, Bourdain speeds onward towards Indio, California to visit the Shields Date Farm. After learning about the "fascinating" history of dates, Tony gets rewarded with a date-flavored milkshake. This looked delicious. Remind me to try one the next time I'm in California.

Like any good roadtrip, it was soon time to move on, and Tony crosses state lines into Arizona, eventually pausing in Phoenix, Arizona. In one of the more contrived moments of No Reservations, Tony has lunch with rock legend Alice Cooper, who owns a sports bar in Phoenix with baseball great Randy "The Big Unit" Johnson. Tony's meal at the sports bar? The house specialty - "Randy Johnson's Big Unit," a two-foot hot dog smothered in chili and cheese. Let us not speak of this ever again.

Next on the Southwest itinerary was a remote ICBM missile silo. Tony gets a guided tour from a woman who used to work in the facility. Seeing this sort of thing doesn't evoke the same sense of dread that it once did during the Cold War, but it's an imposing sight nonetheless. And you know, missile tours can make you thirsty. That's why Bourdain finishes his tour with the house's special cocktail, the Titan-tini made with pomegranate, grain alcohol and vodka. How's that for explosive?

Bourdain just keeps wracking up the miles though, and soon he's in New Mexico, where he has a chance to sample the world-famous chili peppers in Hatch, New Mexico. To cool off from this spicy experience, the crew takes an invigorating run whitewater rafting. That's all that happened in New Mexico. Sorry citizens of New Mexico, I'm sure there's more to your state than Tony gives you credit for here.

At last, after numerous hours on the road, plenty of antacids and ample bathroom breaks, Bourdain reaches the "promised land" of the American Southwest in Texas. After doing a few blatantly stereotypical things like boot shopping and eating a 72-ounce-coma-inducing steak, I was about ready to turn off my television set. But then things took a turn for the better when Tony drops in for a visit with America's favorite right-wing bad boy and Texas resident Ted Nugent.

Ted and Tony might not necessarily agree on politics, but they had plenty to talk about when it came to meat and guns. The two tool around Nugent's huge ranch outside Waco, Texas, stocked with the world's largest herd of African Oryx and a private firing range. In addition to shooting some of the world's most deadly automatic weapons like the M60 as well as a sawed-off shotgun, the pair enjoy plenty of barbecue. At Ted's house they grill some freshly-slaughtered specimens, including venison and wild-boar bacon. And because they didn't eat enough barbecue, they have a second Texas-style meal of brisket and ribs at the Rusty Star.

Certainly a gratuitous ending to a gratuitous episode. The American Southwest is a place of great beauty and plenty of interesting cuisine, but I came away with the feeling Mr. Bourdain did not do it justice. Sometimes your destination takes care of itself. But other times you have to work for it a little. I think this particular installment falls into the latter category. Oh well, there's still plenty of new episodes to go this summer - stay tuned dear reader, stay tuned.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Sabre Data Outlines Airline Capacity Cuts, Shows Impacts on Hotels

2008-08-06T14:10:00.001-07:00

Sabre's internal studies indicate that capacity cuts alone are not likely to provide enough for airlines to break even, and the result is likely to be increased fares, which typically results in reduced volumes of bookings. We believe international routes will be largely unaffected due to their greater profitability.Â Capacity cuts will have significant impact on hotel bookings--and in fact, we are compiling updated info for July that shows that corporations are already starting significant cutbacks, even ahead of the capacity cuts becoming effective (i.e., July decrease in bookings would not be result of airline capacity cuts, since those will mostly become effective starting in September; therefore, decrease in hotel nights booked is the result of corporations scaling back).

Airline CEOs Reprimand Best Customers

2008-08-06T08:10:00.001-07:00

Last week at the National Business Travel Association convention in Los Angeles, NBC's Peter Greenberg moderated a conversation with Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson and Air Canada CEO Montie Brewer. One of the more entertaining exchanges occurred near the end of the session. It included some friendly crossborder jabs as well as a bit of sermonizing from the two carrier chiefs. It went like this:

Photo of the Day (08.05.08)

2008-08-06T07:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Cuba, Photo of the Day

So this is what Cuban beaches look like. Today's photo of the day comes from localsurfer, who very well captures the image of a place that I want to be right now -- at a beach, playing in the surf, away from the humidity of the upper Midwest. Nice shot, localsurfer. Maybe some day I'll be able to take one like this myself.

Have any cool photos you'd like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr, and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

JetBlue to charge $7 for pillows and blankets

2008-08-06T06:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines

Thank goodness they are not attempting to charge for those hideous blankets and pillows most airlines offer!

JetBlue will begin charging customers for an eco-friendly comfort package on their flights. Travel blanket and pillow--featuring a fabric technology, developed by CleanBrands LLC, that apparently blocks dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander--will be available for purchase for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to Bed Bath & Beyond.

So far, we have JetBlue charging us for extra leg room, food and drinks, checked baggage and now pillows and blankets. What's next?

How about extra humidity on board? I'd pay extra for that.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Seats on a United Airlines flight come loose, roll and injure a passenger

2008-08-06T05:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines

You don't hear about this everyday: A United Airlines flight taking off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and bound for San Francisco this past Sunday had to turn back suddenly after a row of seats became loose, slid backwards and slammed into a full row of passengers.

Maintenance workers confirmed that there was a loose bolt on three occupied seats in the third row of that flight. At takeoff, the seats simply came undone.

One woman sitting in the fourth row suffered a knee injury and was transported to the hospital after the pilot made an emergency landing.

Maintenance workers fixed the problem (though the flight was delayed more than three hours).

United says it will compensate passengers for that delay.

The injured woman flew to San Francisco this morning on a free first class ticket.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ryanair in Hot Water (Again)

2008-08-06T04:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, Airports, News

Low cost carrier Ryanair can't get any love these days. Europe's original budget airline has gotten tons of press lately. Unfortunately, most of it has been bad. Of course, maybe there are people out there who want to fly an airline with surly flight attendants, lots of noise, and trashy ad campaigns. It could be kind of an adventure.

But when things go to court, the fun and games must cease. BAA (British Airports Authority) is suing Ryanair for unpaid airport fees accrued when the company refused to pay higher landing fees at Stansted Airport.

To Ryanair's credit, at least they followed up their talk with action. They have been complaining about the higher fees and they haven't paid them. When the airline's outspoken chief, Michael O' Leary, used expletives to describe BAA's execs, the press ate it up. However, his (winning) personality might not fly in court.

Is this the beginning of the downward spiral for Ryanair? Abrasive behavior will only get you so far. It might be time for O' Leary and his posse to start making some friends lest they end up with nowhere to land their planes.

Source

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daily deal - 40 LED headlamp for $8.50

2008-08-06T03:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling's Daily Deal

Today's Daily deal is perfect for the more adventurous traveler. This 40 LED headlamp is powered by 3 AA batteries, and the manufacturer claims an 80 hour run time.

Of course, having a head mounted flashlight is great for basic DIY work around the house, but it will probably be in its element in the forest or when trying to navigate your way around a hotel during a power outage.

The lamp itself can be tilted down and you can select one of 4 different settings (3 different intensities and one flashing mode). On the dimmest setting, it should be enough to read a book during an overnight flight, or if you don't want to disturb your significant other when you try and read in bed.

This flashlight normally costs $16.99, but you can pick one up for just $8.49 by using coupon code "M24802850POFF". To make the deal even better, you also get free shipping, and no sales tax if you live outside CA or MA. The online store accepts most major credit cards as well as Paypal payments.

One word of warning though; I do not suggest purchasing this lamp if your life is going to depend on it. If your trip takes you to caves, mountain faces or anywhere your only light will be from your flashlight, then I recommend getting a professional lamp, like one from Petzl.

Product page (via Fatwallet.com)

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Sick of High Airfares? Bus It

2008-08-06T02:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Transportation, Budget Travel

"Greyhound" is considered a curse word in some travel circles. With its share of horror stories, America's most famous bus line has earned a bit of a bad reputation.

I mean, imagine being stuck in a plane for two hours next to a crying baby or someone who thinks you want to hear their life story. Then imagine similar circumstances on a bus where the travel time is multiplied by ten. Bus travel is not for everybody.

Fortunately, Greyhound and others are offering things that are for everybody: cheap fares and free WiFi. Greyhound has launched a budget service called Boltbus. Its competitor, Coach USA, has also put its budget brand, Megabus, on the roadways.

These buses only offer curbside pick-up, a model begun by so-called Chinatown bus companies. This cuts down on costs associated with maintaining a terminal.

Most of the action is on the East Coast where a battle royale is beginning. Boltbus has been offering $1 fares between some cities and Chinatown carriers and Megabus are primed to respond. The result is that it's cheap to travel up and down the Atlantic Coast by bus. And it's a hell of a lot easier to put up with crying babies or talkative passengers when you paying such low fares. Maybe you could spend some of your newly saved dough on a good pair of headphones so you can tune everything out.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Hotels (try to) give new meaning to women-friendly floors

2008-08-06T01:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: North America, Hotels and Accommodations, News

Years ago, hotels would have women-only floors targeted at women traveling alone as a way of increasing their female clientele by promising safety through exclusivity by gender. Of course, that was thrown into obsolescence after being considered sexist and discriminatory.

However, hospitality marketing gurus have managed to swirl around the "women-only" floor idea into one of "women-friendly" floors. Some rooms on such floors have special items for women (a Victoria's Secret bathrobe, a blow dryer, vanity mirrors), and yoga stuff for women who want to work out, but, to avoid the sexist tag, the floors and facilities are not exclusive to women.

Hmmm...so what makes them special? Some facial creams and nail-polish that the other rooms don't have?

In other words, hotels are out of ideas to market their services, so they take an old idea, tweak it to sound like a new one when it's really not an idea at all. Then they sell it as a novel service for a niche audience and get some press.

Hotels such as the Crowne Plaza, the Hilton, and the Hampton Inn have been successful with this marketing gimmick, that too outside the Middle East -- so who am I to criticize it. Time will tell how much female customers succumb to this marketing ploy.

An ending note for hotels: your customers are smarter than you realize.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Celeb spotting in.... Ann Arbor?

2008-08-06T00:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture

Desperate to restart it's economy, Michigan has been floundering around for the past few years trying to find something to replace the dying automotive and pharmaceutical industries that made the state what it was. The politicians' solution? Siphon off parts of the film industry and plant it in Michigan -- a variety of landscapes, bus loads of workers and inexpensive goods await any producer willing to set up camp in The Great Lakes State.

As an added incentive, Michigan is offering substantial rebates to any filmmaker ready to invest in the local economy, so much that the residents are virtually paying the expenses for the entire shoot. With a deal that they essentially can't refuse, Hollywood studios are flocking to the shores of Lake Michigan, sand dunes of Traverse City and quaint streets of Ann Arbor to shoot films, surprising residents with closed streets, car chases and celebrities wandering through their bars and restaurants.

Just last month I ran into actor Jonathan B. Wright on a flight to New York, who is in the process of filming Youth in Revolt with Ray Liotta and Michael Cera (think Superbad) in downtown Ann Arbor. he told me that over forty films were scheduled to shoot in Michigan this summer. Drew Barrymore apparently just bought a house near the city while Madonna is currently runnning around at the Traverse City Film Fest.

So next time you want to head out on a celebrity spotting mission, scrap your plans for Mulholland drive and Santa Monica. Book a ticket to Detroit instead and hit the bars in Royal Oak and Ann Arbor friday and saturday nights -- you're sure to run into someone famous in no time.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Delta airlines announces domestic fleetwide Internet by 2009

2008-08-05T23:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, Internet Tools

Delta Airlines is joining the ranks of American Airlines and Virgin America with in-flight Wi-Fi Internet access.

The service will be provided using the Aircell Gogo technology (reviewed here by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal). For $9.95 on flights of 3 hours or less, or $12.95 on flights over three hours, passengers will be able to enjoy "mobile broadband" speeds on their laptop or Wi-Fi enabled PDA or smartphone.

The service will first be introduced on the Delta Airlines MD88/90 fleet, then on their Boeing 737, 757 and 757 aircraft. In total, 300 planes will be outfitted with the necessary equipment, making this the largest committed rollout of in-flight Internet equipment in the world.

It is needless to say that inflight Internet access is here to stay. Previous services that offered basic Internet connectivity all failed because of the price (Verizon Airfone) or the investment for the airline (Connexxion by Boeing).
The Aircell Gogo system is a great combination of the right price, and perfect timing. Airlines are scrambling to find affordable ways to generate some additional revenue, and there are only so many services they can take away or start charging for. One of the big differences in the marketplace over previous years, is that more people are now carrying Wi-Fi enabled devices.

Of course, the Aircell Gogo system won't be of any use to anyone leaving the domestic airspace, as the ground stations only cover the United States. You can read more about the technology powering this service on the Gogo Inflight Internet site.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Time posts their 25 "must have" high-tech travel gadgets

2008-08-05T22:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gear, What's in Your Pack?

Time has published a list of 25 "must have" travel gadgets. The list contains some of the usual suspects, like the Apple 3G iPhone, the Amazon Kindle and a Canon digital camera.

Then there are several "gadgets" you wouldn't immediately think of, like this UV water sanitizing pen or a wine "skin", which is nothing more than a piece of bubble wrap for carrying wine bottles in your luggage (I find using a sock and a plastic bag to be a cheaper solution).

The list covers everything from an ultra thin notebook (the Apple Macbook Air) to the Kensington battery pack for).iPod and iPhone, (reviewed here on Gadling last week.

All in all, it isn't a bad list, but it might be a little too rich for some travelers. Some of the items missing from the list (in my opinion), are the Asus Eee PC or a similar $400 ultra portable laptop and a real handheld GPS unit, like one of the many Garmin handheld mapping devices which allow you to navigate while walking through an unknown city, or off the beaten path.

Of course, different travelers will have different needs, so let me ask you; what are you missing from this list? Do you own a "must have" product you'll never leave home without? Leave a comment, and in the coming weeks I'll put together a list of the Gadling top 25 high-tech travel gadgets.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Boston country's best city for singles

2008-08-05T21:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: North America, United States

As someone who lived in Boston for nearly 10 years (a run that closed at the beginning of 2005), I'm happy to report that it is hands down the best city in the United States if you're single.

Don't trust me? Fine. Money magazine says the same thing.

In its 2008 rankings of U.S. cities with the most singles, by percentage, the top five includes three communities that are essentially greater Boston. Cambridge, Mass., ranks as the country's second best city for singles, Somerville next door ranks as the third and Boston proper is at No. 5.

In all three singles make up more than half the population.

Obviously Boston is helped by the sheer number of colleges and universities present, pouring all manners of late teens and twenty-somethings into the city for nine months every year (they'll be starting to arrive in, oh, a hair under three weeks from now).

The country's best city for singles, according to Money? Brace yourselves: Hoboken, N.J. There are many young Manhattanites that have taken the plunge and moved there, and others -- my brother, included -- who just can't make such a leap yet.

Here's Money's Top 20 cities for the unattached, based on the percentage of each city's total population that are single.

Hoboken, N.J. (57.7 percent)
Cambridge, Mass. (52.4 percent)
Somerville, Mass. (51.4 percent)
Berkeley, Calif. (51.2 percent)
Boston, Mass. (50.3 percent)
Burlington, Vermont (50 percent)
Washington, D.C. (48.5 percent)
Boulder, Colo. (48.2 percent)
North Druid Hills, Georgia (47.6 percent)
Hermosa Beach, Calif. (47.2 percent)
Minneapolis, Minn. (46.3 percent)
Hempstead, N.Y. (45.8 percent)
Atlanta, Georgia (45.7 percent)
Syracuse, N.Y. (45.6 percent)
Albany, N.Y. (45.4 percent)
Hartford, Conn. (45.3 percent)
Santa Cruz, Calf. (45.3 percent)
New Haven, Conn. (44.9 percent)
San Francisco, Calif. (44.7 percent)
Newark, N.J. (44.1 percent)

East Orange, N.J., St. Andrews, S.C., Marquette, Mich., Tempe, Ariz. and Madison, Wis. round out the top 25.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

One too many: Drunk flight attendant causes six hour flight delay

2008-08-05T20:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, News

I've heard of drunk passengers causing problems on flights -- an acquaintance of mine recently wasn't even allowed to board a plane because he had a little too much fun at the airport bar -- but I've never heard of a flight attendant throwing back a few too many. Until now.

On Sunday a BMI holiday flight of 140 passengers, set to fly from Aberdeen, United Kingdom to Faro, Portugal, was delayed for six hours while the crew tried to find a replacement for a 24 year old flight attendant who had shown up to work intoxicated. The flight was scheduled to depart at 9am but was delayed when the attendant's fellow crew members were concerned about her state and called the police. The police arrived at the scene and after a a failed breathalyzer test, arrested the woman.

Drunk flight attendant jokes just seem too easy. I mean, just imagine what the pre-takeoff security demonstration would have been like; those airplane seat belts are complicated enough when you're sober. But still, it seems that maybe the woman had just a little too much fun the night before, and instead of a hungover day serving snacks, now she has to deal with the police. Bad luck.

AirAsiaX mulls charging passengers by weight

2008-08-05T19:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Business, Airlines, News

Based on heated previous discussions here at Gadling, we know that the idea of charging passengers by their weight is a very touchy subject. In addition to the questionable legality of the concept, many are uncomfortable with the fact that one passenger may have to spend significantly more than the next -- only to occupy the same seat on an aircraft.

For a while it was almost a joke -- people knew that no American company would dare try something so bold at the risk of alienating the majority of their passenger base. Even Philadelphia Media Holdings ran a full page ad for a fake airline called "Derrie-air" to tease people and collect some marketing data on what the reaction would be.

Our new perspective on oil and the economy, however, is turning some of those chuckles into awkward inquisitions. Could someone really get away with charging a passenger by his or her weight?

AirAsiaX is starting to think so. Darren Wright, operating manager of the airline, recently told Travel Today that such extreme measures might be a possibility given the current state of the market. Stating that weighing each passenger could help balance cargo and overall aircraft balance, Mr Wright suggested that the measure "could help Aussies lose weight."

No word on whether the airline is seriously considering the changes or whether Wright was just speaking candidly, but if something like this were to go into effect, it would surely rock the industry in which we now fly.

10 tips for smarter flying

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road. 1 of 4: Sun After Dark

2008-08-05T18:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Stories, Bolivia, Books

I'm one of those people who haul books when I travel. I am ambitious, imagining hours of page turning. Usually, though, I barely crack a book. One advantage of riding in a car across a good portion of the United States, as I have recently experienced on my family's road trip to Montana, is the hours for reading.

There are miles and miles and miles between Ohio and Montana, particularly if you head north to take in North Dakota.

On the way back, Iowa can feel endless. Indiana--dreadful. (Not to put down those lovely states, but at the end of a trip, even with stops, they seem bigger than they are.) As wonderful as scenery is, a book helps move the pavement along, particularly if the book is written by a person who is also on a journey. I brought four such books on my cross-country jaunt and recommend each of them. In the next three days, I'll be posting on each of them.

Here is the first one. I read this one through Minnesota and North Dakota.

Sun After Dark: Flights into the Foreign--Pico Iyer

An excerpt: "We travel most, I mean to say, when we stumble, and we stumble most when we come to a place of poverty and need (like Haiti, perhaps, or Cambodia): and what we find in such confounding places, often, is that it is the sadness that makes the sunshine more involving or, as often, that it is the spirit and optimism of the place that make the difficulties more haunting."

Pico Iyer is one of my favorite travel writers and this book of essays does not disappoint. As he explains in the first essay, "The Place Across the Mountains," the book is a result of his desire to travel to some of the poorest corners in the world in order to shed light on their importance and as well as add to the understanding about what poverty means.

Lest you think that this is a depressing missive that will leave you weeping over your backpack or pull-behind suitcase, chastising yourself for the delight you feel about your own travels when parts of the world have such problems, this is not the case. Iyer's lyric quality is luminous in its prose and if nothing else, gives the awareness to the reader that hope prevails.

Sun After Dark makes a worthy book for the road because each essay is a stand alone piece. This means that if you put it down for a few days, you won't feel lost when you pick it up again. The culmination of the essays as a group offers a variety of Iyer's experiences that range from the fantastic to the simple.

It's also a good book to share. Once on our trip, my husband didn't have the books he was reading with him. I handed him this one because he could read an essay or two and it wouldn't interrupt the flow of the other books he wanted to finish before embarking on another one.

One of the sections that hit a high mark on the unusual travel experiences spectrum is Iyer's account of his visit to a Bolivian prison. Since Iyer had seen all that he had set out to see, more or less, the prison was at the tail end of his trip. This was one of those ideas that after wards makes one think, "What was I thinking?"

Also enjoyable are Iyer's in depth accounts of his visit with the Dalai Lama and his time at the same Zen retreat center as Leonard Cohen. Along with the descriptions of the settings are insights into the workings of these men and Iyer's own musings about how he fits into the scheme of existence.

As usual, no matter where Iyer goes, he sees the wonder and the beauty of humanity, even in those places that are troubling. This is a book to read if you like to think about where you are traveling, as well as, the mysteries and nuances of life.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Galley Gossip: More stuff for the airline museum...

2008-08-05T17:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Food and Drink, Airlines, Galley Gossip

"What are you doing with all that?" asked The Husband, holding a huge bag of seafood as he stared (very rudely) into my grocery cart.

"It's for work," I said, and then I pushed the cart down the aisle - away from him, away from his hands, hands that, if given the chance, would take what was in my cart out of my cart.

"Work?" I heard him say behind me.

"Yeah work. I'm going to write about it!" I exclaimed, thankful to have an excuse, a very good excuse - that was actually true! - as I continued pushing the cart to the check out stand.

Following quickly behind me, he asked, "Just how many bottles do you need?"

As many as I could get in the cart. But I didn't tell him that. What I told him was we needed all the bottles of wine for our guests that were in town visiting. What I didn't tell him was that there was no way the guests that were in town visiting were going to touch my wine. That's right, I said it, my wine!

If you're a flight attendant, or an aviation enthusiast, you probably own a lot of airline crap. Like me. Of course we don't refer to it as crap. Oh no, these are our treasures. Precious treasures. That belong in a museum. Like the one I USED to have in my guest room closet. I say USED to have because The Husband recently boxed up my airline museum and drove the contents that are now inside a giant grey tub to a storage facility nearby. Of course he did this while I was away on a trip.

Hey, that's fine with me. Now I've got more room for more crap. I mean treasures! Like AUS Boarding Pass 2006 Shiraz, a very cool bottle of wine I found at Costco.

There I was at Costco, leaning against the wine, impatiently waiting for The Husband to hurry up and pick out a few crab and shrimp from the crab and shrimp guy so we could FINALLY leave and start dinner, when I actually turned around and focused on what I happened to be leaning on. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was like god had sent them to me. And oh my god they were so cute! I had to have one. Or two. Or three. In case I needed to...umm...you know...share...or something. As I filled the cart, I couldn't help but think what a great flight attendant gift the bottles of wine would make, so I put a few more bottles into the cart. That's when The Husband appeared and I took off.

The name of the wine, you ask? I'm not sure. On one side of the bottle, the side that looks like a boarding card, it says Boarding Pass. On the other side of the bottle, the side that looks like an information card (the one located in the seat back in front of you) it says Grateful Palate Airwines. And around the top of the bottle, the thing that looks like a baggage claim ticket, it says AUS Boarding Pass 2006 Shiraz. Like I said, it's not exactly clear. What is clear is it's the most adorable bottle of wine I've ever seen. And it tastes pretty good, too.

WAIT!

Before you jump into the car to go and look for your own cute bottle of wine to add to your own museum, because I know you will, which is good, because you really should...do you think you could pick me up another bottle. Ya know...in case I lose a bottle...or something.

Thanks.

Gallery: Galley Gossip: Flying Crap / Wine

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

US retirees changing the face of Central and South American communities

2008-08-05T16:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Costa Rica, Ecuador, Budget Travel

In warm-weather locales all over the Americas, the same scene is unfolding: US retirees, marching in lock-step in their all-white orthopedic shoes, are ditching traditional retirement communities and spending their golden years in destinations both less expensive and more exotic. And who can blame them? Prime real estate in these beautiful warm-weather countries-- places like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Ecuador-- costs a fraction of what similar land goes for in Florida and Arizona. And we all know the elderly have never been ones to pass up a good bargain.

As legions of retirees decide to retire in countries south of the border, they bring with them an economic boom for places that sorely need it. In recent years, Costa Rica has seen property values skyrocket, greater foreign investment, and a surging economy-- much of it due to the migration of the gray-haired masses.

So we know about the benefits. But what about the drawbacks? Indeed, not everything is hunky-dory in these new retirement hot spots. When large numbers of relatively wealthy folks, whether backpackers or retirees, descend upon a previously "undiscovered" paradise, they're almost always a mixed blessing. Nowhere is this more apparent than in one of South America's newest retirement meccas, Vilcabamba, Ecuador.

First a little background: Vilcabamba is not your ordinary retirement community. Thirty-five years ago, National Geographic famously described the small town as the "Valley of Longevity" because of its supposedly long-lived inhabitants. Since that time, seekers and searchers from around the world have visited the town hoping to discover the secrets of these modern-day Methuselahs.

While many visitors still pass through the town-- it's now solidly part of Ecuador's "backpacker circuit"-- the past five to ten years have seen an increasing number of older people choosing to make Vilcabamba their home. Because of the town's unique reputation as the "Valley of Longevity," these adopted residents lean decidedly towards the mystical, the metaphysical, and the organic. Simply put, these are not people who you'd want to tell about your most recent trip to Wal-Mart.

Last year, I visited Vilcabamba and wrote about it in a journal entry:

"Oh, this town is weird, weird, weird. Or at least the old gringo hippies who moved here are. Carol, the gregarious owner of the Madre Tierra spa/hotel, invited me to sit with her four 60-something friends for dinner. I felt like their son or something. After the where-are-you-from formalities were out of the way, they resumed their conversation about homeopathic medicine, which they were all wildly in favor of (of course).

"The lady next to me, Norie, said, "I went to the doctor for the first time in 30 years because I wasn't feeling well." I felt like pointing out a possible cause-and-effect relationship there but bit my tongue. "The doctor said that I was basically healthy," she continued, "but that I had Epstein Barr, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, nephritis, pesticide poisoning..." and a host of other ailments and maladies, none of which lent support to the doc's original "basically healthy" diagnosis.

"Later, Walter mentioned that he would soon be having a metal bar rolled over his back to try to alleviate his back pain. Carol mentioned that just having someone do that alone would be unlikely to help. They must first put their energy into the bar, and then roll it across his back. The four others nodded in agreement.

"Then Walter mentioned that he wanted to meet with a local businessman to make sure they were on the same wavelength, and I'm pretty sure he meant an actual wavelength-- he wasn't speaking metaphorically.

"Then the five of them sat around discussing how to change the town in any way they possibly could, implying and even stating flatly that the local folks weren't intelligent enough to effect change themselves. One could reasonably infer that the citizens of Vilcabamba were waiting patiently in their cribs until their five gringo leaders returned and told them what to do, and breast-fed them, and rocked them to sleep."

Yes, as I wrote back then, and as I still feel now, the ol' gringos are slowly taking over. That sounds bleak, but certainly it's not all bad. They'll undoubtedly create jobs for the locals, spur further investment, and eventually bring something approaching prosperity to the "Valley of Longevity." Indeed, there are a lot worse things for poor people than having rich Westerners move to town.

But let's at least recognize that the town is losing something too-- namely its own character and autonomy. These days, Vilcabamba is more likely to be featured in AARP Magazine than in National Geographic-- and surely there's at least something depressing about that.

I guess for every thing a town gains, it loses something.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Transnational Letters: Laptop Seizures

2008-08-05T09:10:00.001-07:00

Re: Airport Laptop Seizures Debated in Washington

I am very very concerned about this severe new invasion of privacy.

The U.S. Government has no business [with] personal property, unless they have a warrant that says specifically what is needed for an investigation that has probable cause. The warrant must be issued by a judge with probable cause demonstrated.

Transpacific Airline Market Share

2008-08-05T08:10:00.001-07:00

Transatlantic Airline Market Share

2008-08-05T07:10:00.001-07:00

Another case of parents forgetting their child at airport. Damn.

2008-08-05T03:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines, Airports, News

Here's another inexcusable case of parent negligence: an Israeli couple forgot one of their 5 children at Ben-Gurion Airport as they boarded a flight to Paris.

They were shopping at the duty free and then ran to catch their flight, and didn't realize that they left their 4-year old daughter behind when they boarded. What's worse, they didn't even realize she was missing until they were informed by the airport police mid-air.

So sad. How hard is it to do a head count while traveling in such large numbers?

The child was found crying in the terminal and luckily she could identify herself. She was put on another flight to Paris, accompanied by an airline staff member. It is possible that the parents may face charges of neglect on their return to Israel. I sure hope they do.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Greek man decapitates girlfriend, carries head around Santorini

2008-08-05T02:10:00.001-07:00

Last week, Greece's tourism minister sought to allay concerns about safety at many Greek resorts after what has been so far a tourist season marked with a lot of violent incidents. He vowed to look into measures to make resorts more safe from crime.

He hasn't gotten to the picturesque island of Santorini yet, apparently.

Reuters reports that a Greek man on the island yesterday cut off his girlfriend's head and then paraded around the tourist-heavy parts of the island carrying it.

Horrified residents and tourists watched as the man attacked police officers with a knife, then fled in a stolen police car before crashing into a motorcycle, injuring two women. Police finally apprehended him my ramming the police car.

Police said the man had psychological problems.

In a not-quite-related story of horror, a 40-year-old Canadian man named Vince Weiguang Li went berserk on a bus traveling from Edmonton to Winnipeg, randomly stabbing the man he was sitting next to, cutting off his head and hacking off pieces of him that police say they found him eating when they boarded the bus to apprehend him.

We live in a strange, strange world.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Idaho State Parks Plug In

2008-08-05T01:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Camping, News

Idaho State Parks are seeking to redefine camping. The places where Ernest Hemingway used to pitch his tent and cast his fly rod is going wireless. At least, some of them are.

Park officials are looking closely at an experimental program that currently connects five state parks to the internet. The parks in question are Bruneau Dunes, Harriman, Henrys Lake and Ponderosa.

So far feedback has been good; though purists are obviously a bit miffed at the combination of nature and tech. After all, state parks are one of the last remaining places where you can go to get away from those who compulsively check their email or MySpace friends list.

A survey conducted as part of the pilot program shows that most people are in favor of campground WiFi. Campers claimed that they would use the service for practical reasons like checking weather reports, contacting family, looking up information about the park, and making arrangements for future camping expeditions.

But who are these survey respondents? If you are thinking that most are the type who consider camping parking bus-sized RVs somewhere with lots of trees, you're right. Kind of. Many of those in favor of the WiFi were representing the old school: tent campers. So, like it or not, it seems the marriage of tech and nature is going to go ahead in Idaho.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

US Airways Charges for Water

2008-08-05T00:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Business, Airlines

Like every other airline in the country, US Airways is making cuts and adding charges. But the struggling carrier is going beyond charging for checked baggage and snacks. They are even going to charge you for water. So far that just means bottled water and soft drinks aren't free anymore. Not many travelers would be surprised if the next round of fees include a charge for flushing the toilet or washing your hands.

The airline has already made drastic cuts. They removed movie screens from planes flying domestic routes, claiming that the extra weight added to fuel costs. Now, the pay-for-water scheme has passengers wondering what's next.

Airlines seem to be wary of scaring off customers by raising fares significantly. For some reason, it seems that they have no fear of thinking up new fees and smacking you with them when you least expect it.

Sure, the no water thing can be easily remedied. Stop by the terminal convenience store or bring a bottle to fill up at a drinking fountain or (sigh) buy one from the flight attendant.

But, it's the principle.

Why not raise fees a dollar per person and keep offering water on flights? At least then, people would know what they were paying up front and wouldn't have to stick their heads under the lavatory faucet to remedy a dry mouth.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daily deal - Garmin Nuvi 270 GPS unit for $199

2008-08-04T23:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling's Daily Deal

The deal of the day for today, is the Garmin Nuvi 270 portable GPS unit.

This highly portable GPS device weighs just 5.2 ounces and has a 3.5" high resolution display. At just 0.8" thick, it's the perfect device for in your car, or in your pocket.

At $199, this is not the cheapest basic GPS unit on the market, but the Nuvi 270 does have one trick up its sleeve: it comes preloaded with maps of North America and Western Europe.

In addition to this expanded map, the Nuvi 270 also has turn by turn voice prompts, which means you will get basic spoken directions (but no spoken street names).

Like most other Garmin Nuvi units, the Nuvi 270 comes with some handy features for travelers; a built in currency converter, measurement converter and even a world travel clock.

Included in the box is of course the unit itself, a car charger cord, a windshield mount and a self adhesive dashboard mounting disk, for people living in California and Minnesota, where mounting a GPS unit on the windshield is illegal.

The Garmin Nuvi 270 usually retails for $299, but it can be purchased from Costco.com for just $199 after a $100 instant rebate. The deal is valid till August 11th, or until Costco runs out of stock (if you get a message saying the item is not valid, try again in a few hours, Costco seems to keep "finding" new inventory).

The Nuvi 270 can be purchased here, just keep in mind that if you are not a Costco member, you'll have to pay a 5% surcharge ($10), though I have read reports of that being waived if you pay with an American Express card.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

A definitive look at the airlines' rule 240

2008-08-04T21:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Activism, Airlines

Our good friend over at Airfare Watchdog, George Hobica, rolled up his sleeves this past week and dug deep into the muck of rule 240, the near-mythical term dictating how an airline needs to treat you in the case of a cancellation or misconnection. It's kind of a tricky rule to wrap your head around, so I'll let George explain it for you here:

"Rule 240 originally stated that in the event of a cancellation or flight misconnection, the airline would have to put you on their next flight out, or, if that wasn't "acceptable," on the next flight out of a competing airline if that flight would get you to your destination sooner, all at no additional cost to you. If only first class was available on the other airline, then they had to upgrade you. This only applied in circumstances under the airlines' control, such as crew failing to show up, or mechanical problems."

Back in the day each airline had one of these rule 240's, but since deregulation in the industry many have stricken this rule from their operations. Each carrier, however, now has some derivative, which is where Airfarewatchdog came in and compared the differences.

It's a handy guide if you ever get marooned by the airlines on the road and need to leverage a trip back. But a word of warning from a frequent traveler if you want to invoke rule 240 or some manifestation thereof: make sure you do your homework, know your airline, its rules and how they can apply them - you need to stay on the offensive if you're going to get what the carriers have promised you.

Grab a scotch, take a deep breath and start reading the rules per airline over at Airfarewatchdog.com here.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Sir Richard Branson's Private Jet

2008-08-04T20:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Airlines

Ever wonder what it's like to be rich and famous and have your own private jet? Well, it looks a lot like this. Passing through the Mojave Desert airport last week, Gadling spotted Richard Branson's Falcon 900EX, the French made, long range, ultra luxe corporate jet.

Sporting a blown up decal of Branson's iris on the tail fin (the same, minus additional artistic work, done for Virgin Galactic), this jet has a maximum cruising altitude of 36,000 feet, speed of mach 0.87 (662 mph) and in its factory configuration can seat up to fourteen passengers. One can only imagine what sort of extravagances the Branson family has upgraded the aircraft with though. The range and speed of the aircraft make it perfect for important jetsetting moguls like Branson, who frequently needs to commute from his home United Kingdom to his island in the Caribbean to business in Southern California quickly.

Looking at the exterior of the aircraft, one can see that Sir Branson has clearly created this aircraft as a mobile advertisement for Virgin Galactic. In addition to the similar tail fin markings, the evolving VG aircraft have been stenciled near the cabin door, while the engine markings are G-GALX and the aircraft itself is named Galactic Girl.

Still, quite the improvement over conventional travel. Had Sir Branson not been buried under a phalanx of reporters we would have asked for a tour, but I suppose we'll have to save that for the next visit out to the desert.

Gallery: Richard Branson's Falcon 900EX

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Butter cows and other butter sculptures

2008-08-04T19:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Stories, United States

Intelligent Travel recently posted about the Iowa State Fair's tradition of the butter cow. This is not the only state to boast a life-size cow sculpted out of pounds and pounds of butter. Other fairs have cow and other objects done up in butter as part of their fair traditions.

The Ohio State Fair jumped on the butter cow bandwagon awhile back and has added other butter sculptures to the dairy wow factor. This year, displayed in the same case as the cow and her calf, is Ohio's version of Mt. Rushmore--the faces of the eight U.S. presidents who were born in Ohio.

I was fortunate enough to visit the display this past Friday. There is a voice recording that blares out butter sculpture facts so that any one within yards of the building can get the scoop on exactly what's involved in such an endeavor.

I also found the facts in this post by Kathy Lynn Gray who is blogging on the Ohio State Fair. It takes two tons of butter to sculpt 8 presidents and 2 cows. In stick numbers, that's 8,000 sticks of butter.

If you'd like to try sculpting butter yourself, you'll need a dairy case that is kept at 46 degrees in which to work, but work fast. You'll only be able to work in increments of 40 minutes because you'll get too cold and need to take a break.

In the same building that houses the butter sculptures at the Ohio State Fair, you can buy ice-cream, butter-milk and milk. The milk was a bargain at $1 for a 1/2 pint. If you happen to want ice-cream, the line moves fairly quickly. There are only four flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and mint chocolate chip. My son shared.

A friend of mine wants to know what happens to the butter after the fair. I'm not sure I'd want to eat any of that butter on toast, even if it is kept cold. For more butter sculpture info, click here.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Product review - V-Moda Vibe Duo iPhone headphones

2008-08-04T18:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Gadling Gear Review

In today's product review, I'll give you a closer look at the V-Moda Vibe Duo headphones.

These stylish headphones are made primarily for the iPhone and iPod, and feature "V-MASQUE high-definition clarity and 3D soundstage with noise isolating BLISS technology". Marketing speak aside, these premium headphones are quite attractive and feel very well made.

The earbuds are very light, and are made of metal with a grooved ring around them, making it quite easy to insert and remove the headphones. The version I tested is called "gunmetal rouge", and as the name implies, the color is a combination of gunmetal and red.

Included in the package, you'll find the headphones themselves, a leather carrying pouch and 2 packs of replacement silicone ear fittings, one black and one clear. Each pack of fittings comes in 3 different sizes so you'll always be able to find the perfect fit.

The V-Moda Vibe Duo headphones are one of the first I've ever seen in this price range with a fabric covered cable. This fabric lined cabled means you won't have as much risk of breaking the cable as with regular rubber cables.

Down one of the earpieces is the V-Moda call control button/microphone. The call control button functions just like the button on the original iPhone headphones, so you'll be able to answer and hang up a call and pause your music. The microphone is quite good, and callers never complained about not being able to hear me.

It's hard to judge the audio quality of these headphones, especially since sound is such a personal thing, but I can say that I was very impressed with them. They produce some of the richest bass I've ever heard in a pair of headphones, and even on a loud volume setting, I did not head any distortion. The plug on the V-Moda headphones fits the recessed jack of the iPhone, and they also work on the iPod and most other phones with a regular 3.5mm stereo jack (like on some Blackberry smartphones).

Because the headphones are "in-ear" and use a silicone sealing fitting, you'll get a fairly decent noise isolation. It's by no means as efficient as a pair of active noise canceling headphones, but it's certainly enough to block out the background noise of fellow passengers chatting on their phones.

The V-Moda Vibe Duo headphones cost $99.95 (or as low as $86.49 on Amazon.com), so they are clearly not cheap. After testing them for several weeks, I can say that they really do feel they are worth the price. They are several times better than the headphones Apple includes with the iPhone, and if you listen to a lot of music on the device, you'll learn to appreciate the increase in sound quality and bass.

My only minor complaint is the ease at which the silicone rubber fittings come off, in the first few days I had already lost one set of them. Even though V-Moda include replacement fittings, they are in 3 different sizes. Once you have used all the replacement fittings in your size, you'll have to order a new pack from V-Moda for $7.99.

In conclusion, the V-Moda Vibe Duo headphones are a great replacement for the boring white headphones included with the iPhone. They are also the perfect size and quality for travelers or frequent fliers, as the basic noise isolation can help reduce background noise on your plane (just remember to put the iPhone in flight mode). The price may not be for everyone, but they are similarly priced to most other premium noise isolating headphones.

Gallery: V-Moda Vibe Duo headphones

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Galley Gossip: Love on the Plane - plus enter to win More Than This by Margo Candela

2008-08-04T17:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Stories, Airlines, Books, Galley Gossip

Love on the plane, it happens. In fact, it happened to me. That's where I met my husband, on a flight from New York to Los Angeles. I'm guessing we were somewhere over Illinois when I gave him my phone number. The interesting thing about it is he wasn't even my type (not at all), which was good because my type, I soon realized, had a tendency to suck.

Love on an airplane. It happens. I don't know why it doesn't happen more often.

I mean where else but on an airplane (or at an airport) do you get such an interesting mix of people from all walks of life? Not to mention, you can tell a lot about a person by how they travel, particularly when it comes to how they treat the flight attendant. Don't believe me? Next time you find yourself cramped in a middle seat, just watch the people around you.

I noticed my husband right away. What I liked about him was he didn't flirt, but he was nice and very polite. Always he said please and thank you, and he looked me in the eye whenever he addressed me, which rarely seems to happen these days. The thing that stood out the most about the passenger who would soon become my husband, was a very tasty looking sandwich he had brought on-board from a deli in Manhattan. That said it all. It said he liked good food. It said he was a man with a plan. It said he knew how to take care of himself. When he noticed me drooling over his seat, he offered me a bite. I didn't take the bite, but I knew right then and there he was the guy for me. Eight months later we were engaged. Six years later we have a two year-old son.

Love on the airplane. It happens. Has it happened to you?

Ever been at the airport, or on an airplane, when you spot that hot guy (or girl) at the exact same time he (or she) looks at you, and you swear you can actually feel your heart beating just as he (or she) is boarding a flight, deplaning the flight, or in the process of taking another flight, and you want to yell out WAIT! STOP! But you don't. Because...well...normal people just don't scream out in public places at strangers, even if that stranger makes your heart go thump thump thump. Yet later you find yourself wishing you'd actually done just that. And you wonder what would have happened if you had done just that - yelled those two little words that may have changed your life forever.

Chances are, if you've ever been in a situation like the one mentioned above, you're going to love More Than This by Margo Candela. I know I did. Oh sure Margo is a friend, and one of the writers in my writing group, but this girl can write! Trust me. In fact, movie deals for this book should be rolling in any day now. I've already offered (okay fine, I demanded!) to play the role of the flight attendant when the movie comes out.

So tell me all about your experiences with love on the plane - whether it happened, almost happened, didn't happen (but wish it had), or maybe it did happen and you really wish it hadn't happened - and you'll have a chance to win an autographed copy of More Than This, a story about missed connections, written by Margo Candela. The perfect read to pass your time on the next flight. We'll draw a lucky winner by Friday, August 8, 2008

Good Luck!

To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us all about your experience finding love on an airplane.
The comment must be left before Friday, August 8, 2008 at 5pm Eastern time
You may enter only once.
One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
One Grand Prize Winner will receive a free, autographed copy of More Than This, by Margo Candela.
Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
Book is valued at $14.
Click here for complete Official Rules.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Talking travel with the CEO of Kayak.com

2008-08-04T16:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Talking Travel

Kayak is one of our favorite companies to write about. The leading airfare metacrawler processes some 40 million travel requests per month, making it one of the most popular travel sites out there. TIME Magazine has called it one of the "50 Coolest Websites" and the "Best Search Aid" by Travel + Leisure Magazine.

Instead of random musings this time, we've got Steve Hafner on the line. He's the co-founder and CEO, a guy who's more than qualified in his position--he helped found Orbitz in 1999.

How is a metacrawler better than a regular search engine?

Studies show consumers search four to five Web sites before making a purchase. Kayak.com saves the consumer time by searching all of these Web sites in seconds and displaying rates and availability for more than 440 travel brands. We provide the user with powerful filtering and sorting tools, so they can find exactly what they're looking for quickly and easily. Then, Kayak.com then lets the user decide where to purchase-direct from a supplier such as the airline's own website, or from on online travel agency like Orbitz. Unlike the online travel agencies, Kayak.com is free to use.

Do you plan on getting into the package market or will you continue to metacrawl?

Kayak.com launched a beta version of a package product on Thursday, June 26. We hope to add several more providers over the next two weeks and formally launch the vacations product soon. Kayak.com is the first travel site to offer a true meta-search product for vacation packages.

Will you ever implement a feature to pick a destination by "region" instead of city? As in Europe instead of Paris?

Excellent idea. We launched such a product in 2005 (see announcement). Kayak Buzz displays the lowest fares to the 25 most popular destinations within a region from a consumer's hometown. To get the Buzz, input a departure airport or city in the Buzz section of the homepage, along with desired month of travel and region of interest. Within seconds, Kayak Buzz displays a list of 25 cities organized by popularity with an interactive Google Map that plots destinations. Regions include world, U.S., Europe, Caribbean, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia/Oceania. Consumers can also register to receive customized Kayak Buzz Alerts by email. Consumers and media really love it, so we've enhanced Kayak Buzz several times.

Does your software have the ability to do that?

Kayak.com keeps all search data for one year. Kayak Buzz prices are actual fares found by other Kayakers over the past two days. Our data warehouse of fares is used for several Kayak.com tools including Best Fare Trend Chart, Fare History and Fare Alerts.

What is the advantage of your metacrawler over other engines such as Mobissimo or Sidestep?

Kayak.com is the leader in the space for a reason. Kayak.com is the only travel search site that offers a complete package-comprehensive search, powerful filtering tools, variety of useful search tools such as Flexible Search or Weekend Search, personalization and ease of use (Note: Kayak.com's search engine has powered SideStep.com since the December 2007 acquisition). As a technology company, Kayak.com is able to enhance and innovate the site at a rapid pace-which keeps us ahead of other travel search sites and the OTAs. Many new features come directly from consumer requests, as every Kayak.com employee reads every piece of user feedback every day and we respond to new feature requests in order of popularity.

What are some features we should expect to see in the near future?

On Thursday, June 26, Kayak.com launched Flight Quality functionality which allows the user to filter red-eyes, departure/return from same airport, aircraft type, etc. A warning message is also displayed to flights that meet a criteria deemed undesirable by some travelers including flights with terrible on-time records, layovers longer than four hours, red-eyes, last flight of the day, etc. Kayak.com also launched an Airline Fee Chart which summarizes the five most popular fees tacked on by airlines including those for baggage, meals, pets, unaccompanied minors and seat assignment/legroom. Kayak.com is working on integrating these fees into the search results and we hope to launch this capability by the end of July.

When Kayak.com acquired SideStep.com, a hotel review site called Travelpost.com came with the package. Our plan is to turn Travelpost.com into a true competitor to TripAdvisor. Although TripAdvisor is the hotel review leader, we think it's a terrible user experience and we know we can do it better. Our engineering team is in the process of adding the Kayak.com UI to Travelpost.com and then we'll start enhancing the site with better functionality. You'll start hearing about Travelpost.com around the watercooler soon.

Do you have any stats on Kayak's usage / popularity to wow us?

More than 35 million people visited Kayak.com last month, and we processed more than 40 million requests for travel information. That makes us a top 10 travel site in the U.S., bigger than just about every airline and hotel website. Plus, we recently launched websites in the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy and India. The amazing part is how little we spend on marketing compared to our competitors.

As someone who helped found Orbitz, why did you end up leaving? In your opinion, what's wrong about their service right now?

Orbitz is a great company. But many consumers use it to search for travel information and then book at the airline or hotel website directly. So, it is really a search engine-but not a very good one. Not every airline or hotel is available on Orbitz, the sorting and filtering tools are rudimentary and there is no real personalization. So I left to start a Web site that tried to be a travel search engine and not a seller of travel services.

What can Kayak do better? What is the search engine's biggest weakness?

We're still not very good at what we do. We don't search every airline and hotel, we take too long to conduct a search and the result set is not as personalized as it should be. The bright side is that we still do it better than everyone else. And, we're making progress on each of those weaknesses.

What are your top three favorite travel destinations?

It's hard to beat the French Riviera (especially Antibes), St. Barts in the Caribbean and my local favorite: New York City.

What are some bizarre travel trends you've picked up from Kayak users?

When Kayak.com launched a redesign of the hotel search, we asked users about hotel stays. You wouldn't believe what people have found in their hotel rooms! The results still make me laugh every time I read them.

For travelers in other countries, is there any way to avoid booking a ticket through a travel agency? Are there solid search engines for particular geographic regions (like Southeast Asia or South America)?

The rest of the world is beyond the U.S. in terms of sophistication in online travel. Kayak.com has improved the online travel experience in some countries by launching local sites in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and India.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Aloha! Starwood's aloft Welcomes Business Travelers

2008-08-04T14:10:00.001-07:00

If you havenât yet heard about the new Starwood Hotels & Resorts brand aloft, you may be living under a rock. In one of the more aggressive marketing campaigns this year, Starwood has been notifying the whole world about this W-like brand--I, for one, get multiple press releases every day! During the National Business Travel Association's annual convention in Los Angeles last week, a select group of reporters was given the opportunity to tour the Rancho Cucamonga property in California, but instead of driving the 40 miles from the L.A. Convention Center to the property, Starwood rented a helicopter. While my first helicopter ride was memorable, I was left wondering if aloft is ideal for business travelers. It's debatable.

Let people look at your hair and get 20,000 Delta miles

2008-08-04T00:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: North America, United States

This is truly one of the more bizarre frequent flier miles offerings out there. The folically challenged could really score some free air tickets here.

Bosley, the hair restoration company, is offering 20,000 Delta SkyMiles to anyone who's willing to let them take a look at his/her hair. And, if you--by any chance--decide to go through with their hair restoration procedure, you will earn 150,000 miles.

Well, what do you think?

[Thanks, Chris, for the tip]

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Photo of the Day (08.03.08)

2008-08-03T23:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Hiking, Photo of the Day

Today's photo comes to us courtesy of AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker, who took this shot while out hiking in Summit County, Colorado. I particularly like how our photographer has included two sets of legs in the foreground of the image, making the viewer feel as though they are part of the picture. It almost makes you think it could be you sitting in the back of that pickup truck, bouncing along the dirt road as you head out into the back country.

Have any cool photos you'd like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr, and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Using an online translator to come up with an English name for your restuarant is a bad idea

2008-08-03T22:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Photos

Let's assume for a minute that you own a restaurant in China. Then we'll assume you don't speak a word of English, but you don't care because you have Internet access, and have found a great online translation site.

The Olympics are coming, along with millions of hungry tourists who'll want to try your food, so you do the right thing and pop your restaurant name into the translation site, and have someone print your new English name on a massive sign.

You can probably tell where this is heading. It's one thing when translation sites like Babelfish or Google Translate manage to create humorous translations, it's another when the site doesn't work and you simply cut and paste the error message, assuming it translates to "Wong's tasty Kung Pao chicken".

For some more funny signs, check out this mysterious warning sign, or this collection of hilarious signs from around the world.

Source, via Adweek.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Largest indoor train display in the world at new train lovers' attraction

2008-08-03T21:10:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Festivals and Events, News

Train-love runs deep in Ohio, there are scenic railroads, train stores, train societies, clubs of train watchers and old railroad station restaurants. Here is another example.

Friday, August 1 was the grand opening of EnterTRAINment Junction, a train attraction that is being billed as "the only train-themed family entertainment center in the world." Located 30 miles north of Cincinnati, not far from Kings Island amusement park, makes this a place to pair with other family fun type ventures.

Geared to folks of all ages, EnterTRAINment Junction, boasts five separate sections. One of them houses the largest indoor train display in the world. What makes it the largest? There are 90 different trains that run on several different tracks through a variety of scenes and at various heights. Remember that's just one section.

Another section houses the American Railroading Museum. Here, the history of railroading in the United States is traced.

Specifically designed to grab kids' attention, the section Imagination Junction has interactive displays to keep kids busy and teach them about trains in the process.

Seasonal Junction, also interactive, is geared for both adults and children. This is a walk through type experience that will change throughout the year.

The last section is the Train Expo where train enthusiasts can show off their stuff and gather more information. Rotating trains exhibits, a library and artifacts are part of the offerings.

As mega attractions go, the cost for admission is not bad. Right now, everyone can get in for $9.95, except kids under 3 are free.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Business, Food , Travel - My Life

some questions wait for your answer!!

Good sites for us

Photo of the Day (08.09.08)

Video: Preparation of airline food

American Stabbed and Killed in Beijing

Daily deal - Camelbak FlashFlo 1.3-Liter Hydration Pack (pink) for $11.41

Two weeks of embarrassing passport news

Olympic Games opening, Chinese style: The wow factor

Ryan Air to forbid booking through third parties

Photo of the Day (08.08.08)

Daily deal - Western Digital 320GB external drive for $115

Nikon announces some snappy summer sweetness

Studying abroad? Here's what to pack.

Branson Claims It's Easy to be Green

Gading Take FIVE: August 1--August 8

JetBlue gives new terminal at JFK a dry run

Happy birthday, Virgin America

British Airways Will Repay Customers After Fraud Ruling

10 tips for smarter flying

Plane Answers: Breathe Normally?

Big in Japan: How to take a bath without losing your honor

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road-4 of 4: Are We There Yet?

Photo of the day #10,000! (8/07/08)

Actor on NWA plane strikes a flight attendant and hits an officer

Flight attendant suing pastor Joel Osteen's wife for pre-flight assault

Couple gets hitched while flying on top of two biplanes

Weekend tip: Stockholm goes all out for 08.08.08

Indonesia's New Hot Spot

Top off that United frequent flyer account with Award Accelerator

Euro notes in Spain have highest traces of cocaine

Where to go in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. Two suggestions. Intelligent Travel needs more

Product review - Plane Quiet Platinum noise canceling headphones

Product review - iFrogz Audiowrapz for the iPod Nano

Daily deal - Kensington MP3 car accessories up to 25% off

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road-3 of 4: So Many Enemies, so Little Time

Galley Gossip: Ma'am, is that a frying pan in your bag?

Slashdot Users Hammer Verified Identity Pass, Airport Security Procedures, Registered Traveler

Photo of the Day (8-06-08)

How long before we're able to travel in isolation?

How long before we're able to travel in isolation?

Finding Grace Kelly in Paris

Is Clear Security secure?

Hong Kong-Macau Bridge to be Built

$69 portable hard drive enclosure adds keypad password protection

U.S. Airways will charge for that beverage, unless you make a fuss

U.S. Airways will charge for that beverage, unless you make a fuss

Kodak Zi6 HD camcorder now available for pre-order!

Kodak Zi6 HD camcorder now available for pre-order!

Daily deal - Garmin c580 GPS device with MSN Direct service

The 10 oddest travel guides you'll ever read (if you can find them)

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road. 2 of 4: Honeymoon with my Brother

Big in Japan: The best Japanese summer food & drink

"No Reservations" season 4, episode 15: American Southwest

Sabre Data Outlines Airline Capacity Cuts, Shows Impacts on Hotels

Airline CEOs Reprimand Best Customers

Photo of the Day (08.05.08)

JetBlue to charge $7 for pillows and blankets

Seats on a United Airlines flight come loose, roll and injure a passenger

Ryanair in Hot Water (Again)

Daily deal - 40 LED headlamp for $8.50

Sick of High Airfares? Bus It

Hotels (try to) give new meaning to women-friendly floors

Celeb spotting in.... Ann Arbor?

Delta airlines announces domestic fleetwide Internet by 2009

Time posts their 25 "must have" high-tech travel gadgets

Boston country's best city for singles

One too many: Drunk flight attendant causes six hour flight delay

Other stories of debauch in the skies

AirAsiaX mulls charging passengers by weight

10 tips for smarter flying

Great American Road Trip: Travel books for the road. 1 of 4: Sun After Dark

Galley Gossip: More stuff for the airline museum...

US retirees changing the face of Central and South American communities

The Transnational Letters: Laptop Seizures

Transpacific Airline Market Share

Transatlantic Airline Market Share

Another case of parents forgetting their child at airport. Damn.

Greek man decapitates girlfriend, carries head around Santorini

Idaho State Parks Plug In