In honor of April Fools Day, here’s a list of foolish and foolhardy actions that are a foolproof way to make getting through airport security as painfully slow as possible:

Wear metal studded pants.  You can’t take them off and put them through the metal detector, so they’re going to have to wand you.  What were you thinking?
Leave liquids in your carry on bags.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should know about the security directive limiting liquids and gels in carry on items.  Even if you’ve missed it, there are explanatory signs located before you get into the …read more

Polly want a cracker?
At the World Parrot Refuge on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, winged residents get lots more than a mere cracker.
This non-profit, educational facility operated by FLOPRS (”For the Love of Parrots Refuge Society”) provides a “Home for Life” for previously owned pet parrots.  Parrots have a very long life span, so it is very likely that they will have a need for more than one owner over their lifetime.  Many parrot owners fail to foresee or plan for this, making it increasingly common to have parrots turn up in shelters.  The Refuge is a home for life for …read more

A holiday shopping excursion in New York City is not complete without checking out the decorated windows.  I spent one Christmas Eve on a layover in the city, and enjoyed a trip to look at all the beautiful lights and decorations.  It made being away from home on a holiday a little less depressing.
What is there to see?  Here are some of the major displays that I’d recommend:

Rockefeller Center:  The tree is lit, and the Swarovski decorations are up.  There are lots of other decorations to see in the area, and there’s skating at the ice rink.   Rockefeller Center is located …read more

 
Details:  Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska.  Although it has turned Santa into a cottage industry, about 1,800 people live here year round.  I first visited North Pole one summer as a child.  It was then, and still is a great place to take kids to see how Santa lives in the “off season.”
Photo credit:  flickr

Now that the cold weather has hit the northern part of the United States, snowbirds and vacationers alike are heading south.
If you’ll be in the Scottsdale (Arizona) area, check out the Convention and Visitors Bureau website, and download a few travel podcasts before you go.  You can play the podcast on your computer or mp3 player.
There is a downloadable map of downtown Scottsdale, and one for the greater Scottsdale area.  The podcasts corresponds with various stops on the map.  Follow the driving tour and discover the history and culture of Scottsdale, along with discovering its architecture, art, sports, and the …read more

Today’s gift is for young travelers.  Or maybe adults who want to instill in younger ones a sense of curiosity about the world.
101 Places You Gotta See Before You’re 12 by Joanne O’Sullivan.
Here’s what Amazon (aff) has to say about the book:
And there’s no need to go far or plan a big, expensive vacation to see this great stuff. In fact, some of the places may be quite close to home. They can take a peek at what actually goes on at their parents’ office, experience another culture’s cuisine at an ethnic restaurant, immerse themselves in the beauty of nature at …read more