On March 17,2006, I started writing about travel here at Flyaway Cafe.  I knew a lot about travel, but nothing about blogging, technology, social media, photo editing or building readership.  I knew airport codes, not HTML code.  And I knew airline route structures, and how to find a good hotel deal. but not a thing about Digg or Twitter.

But boy did I learn!

Now, after more than 3 1/2 years, and 1,325 posts, Flyaway Cafe is being retired.  Today’s post, my 1,326th, will be my last.

As I write this, there is an incredible range of emotions rushing through me, the first of which is a huge amount of thanks.

I am very thankful for the early days of b5media, and the people who were willing to take a chance on Flight Attendant who loved to travel, and said she could learn all the rest of this blogging stuff.  The people who have helped me along my journey are too numerous to mention, and I know I’d forget someone anyway, so I hope you realize that this big THANK YOU is for you.

My next thank you goes to the many, many bloggers I’ve met over these years.  You have taught me and encouraged me.  We’ve shared hopes and frustrations, common goals and common problems, and more than a drink or two.  I am a better blogger and travel of the world for knowing you.  I hope to someday be in a position to “pay it forward” and help others the way that you have helped me.

And my final thank you, and probably the most important thank you, is to you – all of my readers.  As I’ve learned a little more about blogging, I hope that I have helped you learn a little more about travel.  I hope we were able to create a place to discover new information, share ideas, share a Flight Attendant’s perspective, and have a little fun.  I hope you have tools to be a better traveler, that you are inspired to see something new, and that along the way of discovery, you’ve had a few laughs.  If you have learned even a small portion of what you’ve taught me, then Flyaway Cafe has been a success.

Although there is a little bit of sadness today, there’s lot more excitement and enthusiasm.   As much as I have loved blogging at Flyaway Cafe, I am even more excited about the new projects that I’m involved with

Since January 2009, I have worked with PlanetEye as their Travel Editor,  Earlier this month we’ve launched our fabulous new online travel magazine, PlanetEye Traveler.  I get to work with an exciting management team and a group of wonderfully creative travel bloggers to help bring you great photographs, expert reviews, cool interactive maps, and fresh content every day.  We have over 50 destinations around the world, along with some fun travel specialties, so stop by to see what catches your eye.  You’ll find me there blogging about Seattle.

And. . . of course. . . you know that I have lots more Flight Attendant stories to share with you.  And lots more trips to plan and take, hotels and spas to review, restaurants to sample, wine to drink, products to test and review, and plenty to do that will keep me full of personal travel blogging stories.  You can find me blogging about all those topics at my new personal travel website, Traveling with MJ.  I’ve already got a few posts up, and scads of reviews (including some really great products) and more information on trips to Las Vegas, Croatia, and Italy, that I’ll be posting over the next few weeks as I get settled in.  Please stop by and see what I’m up to, and put up with a little clean up left to be done there.   Of course, you can always reach me by email.

While I may be leaving Flyaway Cafe, I’m certainly not leaving travel blogging.  It’s gotten into my head and my heart, and I look forward to another 1,325 posts.  I hope you’ll come along for the next leg of the journey.

Photo credit: Mary Jo Manzanares

The Visa Waiver Program has been around for over 20 years, although it has reached greater awareness and prominence in the post-911 era of travel.  The program has been modified over the years, with additional countries added to the list and an electronic travel component added, but the underlying purpose of the plan remains the same.
Visitors from specific countries are permitted to travel to the United States for a period of up to 90 days (for business or pleasure travel) without having to get a Visa.  There are specific requirements for countries to get on the waiver list, including …read more

Is there really such a thing as too many carry on bags?
You know you need them for your laptop and other geek stuffy, but a carry on frequently does double duty as a purse, backpack, diaper bag, beach tote, and shopping tote.  It’s no wonder then that occasionally we like to change up the look and style.
Tote Couture offers two pleated totes in two fashionable colors.  Lani (in shades of green, tan and brown – almost cammo-like) and Lola (black and white).  Both have funky geometric patters in their respective color scheme,  and are made of coated canvas with rushed …read more

It’s been a week of big travel news, although some of centered around flying hoaxes.  That’s why you need to read these blogs posts that will give you real scoop!
SoSauce (travel geek blog) an Indian cooking lesson, including Naan.  Yummmmmmm!
LA Times Travel compares and contrasts Halloween activities at Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal Studios.
PlanetEye Traveler – Philippine Culture (formerly Filipina Soul) shares a delicious and easy  lumpia recipe.  I’m going to give it a try.
Intelligent Travel asks us if we’d take the Titanic cruise.
Consumer Traveler debates the issue of whether airport lounges are worth the price of admission.  For …read more

It seems to be a week of parents, kids, and air travel, and a whole lot of discussion of hoaxes.
First, there was the Heene family, and what it becoming known as the Bubble Boy Flight.  Or hoax, depending on which side of the issue you come down on.  A recent CNN breaking news report said that charges were soon to be filed against the dad.  What charges?  Not yet known, but many who followed the story on Thursday will be curious to find out.
Next, comes the story of Nic (a mom), Jackson (a baby), Atlanta’s Jackson-Hartfield Airport, and the TSA.
On …read more

Anyone who travels knows that way too much time is spent waiting.  You have to wait at the airport, the train station, even for a taxi.  Sometimes it seems like all we do is hurry up so that we can wait some more.
How can you put all those precious waiting minutes to good use?  You can keep a book nearby, but often you just get into the plot and it’s time to put it aside.  You can talk on your phone, annoying everyone around you and risking private information being overheard my many.  You can stare into space, day dream, …read more

Just in time for Halloween, I received a review copy of Encyclopedia of Haunted Places, compiled and edited by Jeff Belanger.  This guide to ghostly locales from around the world is geographically organized, so you know the first thing that I did was look to see what’s nearby where I live.
I live in Seattle, and there are 5 haunted locales list in the state of Washington:

The Bush House (Index)
The Oxford Saloon & Eatery (Snohomish – I knew about this one)
Murphy Family Farm, a private residence (Longview)
Rutherglen Mansion Bed & Breakfast (Longview)
Port Gamble (Port Gamble, near the Hood Canal Bridge …read more

Today I have a guest post from a recent friend, Sue Henly.  Sue and I met at a travel event, and charmed me with her Australian accent.  I think she’ll charm you with her writing as well.
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In the soft grey light of early morning, we sit quietly on a bamboo mat, wicker baskets of sticky rice beside us, across from a shuttered colonial mansion heavy with bougainvillea.  Birds chatter in the flame trees until a gong sounds, momentarily startling them into silence.
Around a corner, dozens of barefoot monks and novices appear in a swish of saffron, golden bowls hanging …read more

In celebration of Columbus Day, today’s post harkens back to my summer vacation in Italy.
Lake Maggiore, with its low key atmosphere, has an extensive network of ferry service around and across the lake.  In fact, ferries have landing stages in nearly every town along the lake, making it quite easy to get most places by boat.  In addition to the traditional (and slower) ferry, there is also hydrofoil service.  Not only is it a faster boat, but it has more direct service, rather than stopping at all the smaller towns.  The boats generally operate between 7 am – 8 …read more

I have a short list of travel posts this week, not because there was any shortage in great stuff, but because I had a little health scare that landed me in the emergency room.  I’ve spent a rather low key week as I’ve been nursing myself back to health, and so I just haven’t had the typical online time that I usually do.  Still, I think you’ll find plenty to like from these posts:
The Vacation Gals entreat the airlines and the FAA not to allow lap children.  The fares are cheap these days, but the costs add up.  Still, …read more