Being stuck at an airport is never any fun, whether it’s long ground time between flights, or a flight cancellation and serious delay.  Wandering an airport can be fun. . . for the first couple of hours, at least.  But when you’ve checked out every last gift shop, book store, restaurant or bar, and what have you, it’s easy to become bored to tears.
So what are you going to do?  Well, at LAX, if you have enough time to get away, you can leave the hustle and bustle of the airport and head to the beach!

he Ocean Express trolley service …read more

Today I’m pleased to introduce you to Jon Rochetti, a fellow travel blogger and friend, and who, over the years, has shared with me his wonderful city of Washington DC.  Today he writes a guest post about a trip to Cozumel, Mexico.
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The image of the submarine varies. Let it be Jules Verne’s submarine, the Nautilus from the book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the claustrophobic World War II U-boat searching the Atlantic for it’s next target, a nuclear-era stealth “boomer” playing blind man’s bluff with the Soviets, or a deep sea exploration sub diving to uncharted regions of the …read more

If you’ve got substantial connection time at Salt Lake City International, you can spend time just hanging out, or take advantage of your ground time and get in a little sightseeing and cultural expedition.

Between the hours of 9 am – 6:30 pm, a complimentary van service makes scheduled trips between the airport and Temple Square.  The service delivers you to one of the two visitor centers where complimentary tours are offered.  You can take a quick guided tour of this 10 acre area at the center of the city, then return to the airport for your outbound flight.
Regardless of religious …read more

When I went to the Adventure Travel Expo last year, I had the great joy of meeting a real adventurer – Harry Rutstein.
Harry is a fellow Seattle resident, and a recognized expert on the life of one of the world’s most famous adventurers – Marco Polo.  Harry gave me his recently published book, and I was finally had time to sink my teeth into it.
Over a period of about ten years, Harry became the first person to re-trace Marco Polo’s 13,000 mile Silk Road across Europe and Asia. 
In three expeditions (1971, 1981, and 1985), and using every imaginable type …read more

With all the rushing around during the holiday season, one place you won’t want to be rushing to is the airport.
While you can get away with being fashionably late to your office or party or neighborhood gift exchange, airport counters and security lines are not that forgiving. This will be a busy travel season, despite the recession, and if you’re one of the ones who’ll be flying it’s time now to start planning on how you’ll be getting to the airport.
As you’re making plans, remember to leave plenty of time to get to the airport, and make sure you …read more

This Thanksgiving, with the tough economic times that we’re all facing, travel declined for the first time since 2002.  Less people are flying.
And even though the price of gas had dropped substantially, in many locations under $2/gallon, we’re not driving this holiday either.
Here’s a CBS news account:

If you’re leaving your hotel room a little bleary-eyed from too much partying the night before, you may not be seeing straight.  Or maybe you’ve lost a contact, or forgotten your glasses.  Or maybe you’re in a country where you don’t understand the floor numbering.
Don’t worry!  You can always get back to ground level, usually the location of the hotel lobby and front desk, by looking for the star sign. 
The star sign is universal elevator-speak for ground floor.  And that piece of information can help keep you grounded.
 
Photo credit:  flickr
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No, it’s not Venice.  It’s the Gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Okay, it’s a little touristy, and it’s definitely NOT Venice, but it’s still a bit of romantic fun away from the flashing lights and noise of the casinos.  You need to take a break from the fast paced action some time, and this isn’t a bad choice.
The gondolas have been fashioned after authentic Venetian ones, each seating four, and operate rides both indoors and out.  If your party doesn’t fill the gondola, you’ll likely be paired up with others.
The indoor gondolas float their way …read more

When you go to a gas station to fill up your personal car, you know where you gas tank is – and which side up the pump you want to pull in on.
But what do you do when driving a loaner or rental car?
Just take a look at the instrument panel!  There’s usually an arrow right by the fuel gauge that points to the side of the car where the tank will be found (as seen in photo above).  If it’s not by the fuel gauge, take a look for a fuel symbol or other fuel indicator, it may …read more

As if getting to the airport isn’t tough enough, most of us have to figure out how to get from our destination airport to our hotel.  And this is another time when some planning, and asking a few questions, can be a real savings.
Public transportation:  I’m a big believe in public transportation.  When at all possible and practicable, I use a subway, train, or other form of public transportation to get from the airport to my hotel.  A call to the hotel usually will confirm what line I need to take, the stop or station where I need to …read more