The New and Improved Travel Savvy is on its way.
Stay Tuned...
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March 8, 2010
Tragedy Strikes!
Earthquakes. Floods. Tornadoes. Have the latest headlines got you worried about what to do if you are traveling and are faced with a natural disaster? CNN Travel just published an informative piece that focuses on what to do if it happens to you. Travel safe.
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June 1, 2009
Search Ensues for Remains of Air France Flight
The search is on between Brazil and African Coast for wreckage of Air France flight 447 which disappeared last night over the Atlantic Ocean. The cause of the disappearance has been linked to an electrical storm, which disrupted the Airbus 330-200 on its path en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro. There were 228 passengers and crew members onboard.
“It’s a tragic accident. The chances of finding survivors are tiny,” said President Nicolas Sarkozy of France.
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April 15, 2009
Obese? Buy Two Seats.
United Airlines is taking a page from the Southwest and Delta Airlines' playbooks. According to the United web site, effective immediately, passengers who are too large to fly "must either purchase a ticket for an additional seat, or purchase an upgrade to a cabin with seats that address the above-listed scenarios." If two seats are not available on that flight, the overweight passenger must wait and catch a different flight when two adjacent seats can be found.
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April 10, 2009
Passengers Have Rights Too
National Public Radio is encouraging listeners to weigh in on items that should be included in a Passengers' Bill of Rights. Go here to make your voice heard.
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October 15, 2008
Travel Photo of the Day: New York's Central Park
Thanks to Karin in NYC!
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September 30, 2008
U.S. Train Travel on the Rise
Transit travel in the U.S. rose 11 percent in the month of July when compared to the previous year, according to data released from the U.S. Transportation Secretary today. In July, Amtrak carried more passengers than in any single month in its history.
The data indicated a reduction in automobile travel, stating that Americans drove 3.6 percent less, or 9.6 billion miles fewer, in July 2008 than July 2007. Since last November, Americans have driven 62.6 billion miles less than they did over the same nine-month period last year.
As part of a new plan to improve intercity passenger rail service nationwide, the Secretary announced the Department is providing $30 million to match local investments in 15 rail capacity enhancement projects across the country. Several states have received grants to improve or expand mass transit projects in an effort to reduce congestion and improve infrastructure.
The 15 intercity passenger rail grants the Department is awarding will support planning and construction projects in Arizona, California, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. For a list of projects go here.
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August 5, 2008
Delta to Offer Wi-Fi on Domestic Flights
Delta Air Lines Inc. said it will offer broadband wireless Internet access on its entire domestic mainline fleet by the middle of next year.
Aircell, an airborne communications provider, has been hired to install the network on Delta's domestic fleet - more than 330 aircraft. The service will be offered for a fee to customers traveling throughout the continental U.S. Fees are $9.95 for flights three hours or less, and $12.95 for more than three hours. The system will allow Delta customers traveling with Wi-Fi enabled devices — such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs — to access the Internet while in flight.
Wi-Fi service will begin during the first half of 2009.
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July 16, 2008
Cappuccino Banned in Italy
Well, not really. But in news today that sounded un-characteristically European and more United States-like, Italian Big Brother (aka Rome City Hall) has forbidden food and drink on or near Rome's historical center. Officials say they want to "preserve artistic treasures and decorum in a city that has millions of visitors every year." The effort is expected to curb litter left behind by visitors around the city streets.
That's right. Say good-bye to that €15.00 gelato you just HAD to purchase next to the Trevi Fountain to complete your Roman Holiday experience. Instead, save your money for Italy's ever-reliable public transportation options, which may or may not show up.
The ordinance also bans the homeless from setting up makeshift beds and cracks down on drunks, litterbugs and nighttime revelers loitering in central areas.
And they're not messing around. Offenders could get slapped with fines up to $80. The ban, which passed July 10 and went into effect this weekend, is scheduled to be lifted in October, when Rome's tourist season slows.
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July 1, 2008
Seven Days: Seven Day Hikes
If you're near the L.A. area and you've got a week to kill, head up to Mammoth Lakes. Seven days is barely enough to explore the many hiking trails in the area, but it's a start. Here's a rough guide to get you on your way...
Day one: Duck Pass
Day two: Crystal Lake
Day three: McLeod Lake
Day four: Devil's Postpile and Rainbow Falls, Lower Falls
Day five: Dragon's Back to Twin Lakes (Mammoth Mountain)
Day six: Convict Lake
Day seven: Rock Creek
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July 17, 2008
Travel Photo of the Day: Caipirinha and Mojito - Sundowner at the Anantara Rooftop Bar - Seminyak, Bali
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May 13, 2008
TSA to Deploy Hundreds More Advanced Technology X-Rays and Many More Whole Body Imagers to Airports in Time for Summer Travel
(Source: Transportation Security Administration)
TSA today announced plans to deploy hundreds of next generation, multi-view X-ray machinesand whole body imagers. These technologies increase the safety of the traveling public and increase the agency's ability to quickly screen millions of travelers, just in time for the busy summer travel season.
During the next few weeks, the agency will install more than 200 of the faster, clearer X-ray machines to airports including Philadelphia, Washington Dulles and Reagan, Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas and others. These new x-ray machines include multiple views of carry-on baggage and a much clearer image, allowing officers to screen carry-on bags with fewer physical searches.
Millimeter wave whole body imagers will be deployed to several airports in the coming weeks, including Dallas-Ft. Worth, Miami, Detroit, Las Vegas, Washington-Reagan, Denver and others. These technologies allow officers to screen passengers for metallic and non-metallic items without conducting pat-down inspections. Millimeter wave is currently deployed to airports in Phoenix, Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK). At the airports where millimeter wave is currently deployed, more than 90 percent of passengers have chosen the machines over pat-down inspections by officers.
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April 15, 2008
Medical Tourism: What It Is, Why You Should Care
By: Susan Benton
Apparently, gone are the days of traveling for travel's sake. Now some tourists are on a mission to improve the way they look and feel.
Introducing medical tourism.
According to the ever-reliable Wikipedia, the "term (was) initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care."
Call it whatever you want, but medical tourism is booming. It encompasses visits ranging from the very innocuous to the incredibly superficial. There are patients who need the routine check-up to those seeking a life-saving miracle.
It's demonstrated by the ex-pat who travels to his motherland to visit a doctor he trusts; or by those who may not want to be recognized when opting to have elective procedures performed, so they sneak away in search of anonymity to go with their new nose. Still others may seek experimental treatments that have yet to pass the stringent requirements of the FDA and are therefore not allowed in the U.S.
Remember that "mature" woman in your office who went on a “yoga retreat” in “Arizona” for two weeks and came back looking more “refreshed” (read: younger) than ever? Chances are she not only nipped away for a little R&R but also for a little nip/tuck. Maybe she visited a plastic surgery mecca somewhere in Central or South America, where there's a wealth of educated, highly skilled physicians willing to perform popular procedures on the cheap.
What about your aunt Alicia who jetted off to Italy for the experimental hand surgery because she couldn't find anyone to perform it in the States? You guessed it.
Recently, surgeons in India implanted a mechanical pump to aid a patient's failing heart. Industry officials predict this state-of-the-art procedure is the "next huge boost for medical tourism in the country."
Heart surgery? Seriously? My aorta and I will be staying right here, thank you.
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April 1, 2008
Raising Your Airport Security IQ - No Really. You Need To.
By: Susan Benton
We all complain about long security lines at the airport. With constantly evolving rules and screening processes that may force you to miss your flight if you're not on-the-ball, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the rules of airport security.
Very recently my husband forgot he was carrying a pocket knife in his backpack. He made it through, on to the plane, no questions asked.
In a far less serious scenario, I've found that some airports allow travelers to pass through wearing flip flop shoes. But some don’t. And if that’s the case, you’re padding through the metal detector in your bare feet. (Probably best not to take the chance.)
My point is security standards are inconsistent at best, frighteningly lax at worst.
Before leaving for the airport, the savvy traveler will have printed his boarding pass at home already. If you forgot to do so, it’s okay: use one of the handy electronic kiosks to print your pass. They’re quick, easy and almost never busy (at least not for long). Only go to the ticket counter if you absolutely have to. (Read: you’re traveling internationally, you lost something or you're checking bags.) In the case of the latter, if you’re traveling domestically, check your bags curbside. I’ve caught many a flight by the skin of my teeth using this seemingly unpopular short-cut.
With your boarding pass in hand, head straight to security. Before you get to the person in charge of checking ID/boarding passes, here’s a novel idea: have your ID ready. This means have it in your hand or very readily accessible, hold it right-side up too.
While you’re standing in line pretending to be busy – talking on the phone or checking email on your Blackberry - maybe take a minute to look up and monitor the lines. Which one’s moving fastest? Which line has a lot of kids (read: strollers, car seats, extra bags, high probability of inexperienced mom travelers) in it? Personally, I find the line that’s typically the quickest is the one with the least amount of people, with the least amount of luggage and the highest percentage of male business travelers. Don’t wait for direction. Keep it moving and choose your line wisely based on these criteria.
By the time you reach the belt, you’re in good shape. You've dressed strategically: you're wearing your shoes that are easy-to-slip on and off – shoes that don’t need to be tied or tightened. Thanks to the ridiculous antics of Richard Reid: remember to remove and place all shoes directly on the belt.
You've chosen travel bags that are not only comfortable to carry, they provide easy access to your belongings. (Think messenger bag or super-functional backpack with lots of easy-zip pockets.)
Security Secret: Once you pass through a domestic security screening area, all of the terminals are connected. (How else would you be able to catch your connections during a layover?) If there’s a gargantuan line at American, dash over to the shorter queue at Continental and cruise right through. |