Today’s questions comes from Addison Schonland, a principal in IAG (Innovation Analysis Group), a consulting firm to the transportation and travel industry. 

Q.  Would you be willing to talk with me a little bit more about your experience in Cancun for a podcast?

A.  Sure!

Addison always has a good handle on what’s going on in the industry, and keeps up on the news and trends.  Plus, he’s an interesting guy to talk to talk to, so I jumped at the chance to share a little more about my trip to Cancun, and why the stories of swine flu don’t make me afraid to travel.

I invite you to take a listen to what I have to say in the podcast about why I choose to go to Mexico.

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I love getting to know people who have varied backgrounds, and that brief description surely fits Hsien.  She’s an epidemiologist, with special training in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.  She now lives with her family in London, working as a freelance writer and professional blogger.  Here’s what Hsien has to say.

Where did you go on your last vacation:  Nha Trang, Vietnam.  (See photo left.)

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  Probably somewhere in the E.U.  Maybe Paris?  Would be a shame not to do some exploring while we’re based in London.  Although — we are homebodies who haven’t really made the most of many of the countries we’ve lived. 

If you were stuck in a middle seat for a five hour flight, who would you want sitting on either side of you:  My son and my husband.  If I were traveling alone, I’d like to have the whole row blocked off all to myself!

Do you have a travel tip you’d like to share:  When traveling, dress comfortably, but not sloppily.  I’ve gotten bumped up to business class a few times simply because I looked and acted presentable.

Name five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list:  Italy, Australia, Alaska, Greece, and the USA (because almost all my friends and family live there).

Window seat or aisle:  Aisle for sure!!!  I like the feeling of freedom.

All time favorite vacation experience:  My husband and I went to Bali, Indonesia just before I got pregnant.  We had the ultimate experience of having our own hut in a very small boutique resort.  We ate ourselves silly and luxuriated with the sound of the jungle river flowing past below.  We also got to see Krakatoa, the volcano than simmers in the middle of the Indonesian islands.

Most embarrassing travel experience:  My two-year-old son freaked out on a flight from Vietnam to Taiwan because he was overly tired.  One of the drunken old men in the seat in front of us grunted at him in an attempt to scare him into submission.  I told the guy off for talking to my son like that!

Favorite hotel:  The Hilton in Nagoya, Japan has impeccable service with some very comfortable rooms (unlike most Japanese business hotels with their matchbox-sized rooms) and very thoughtful amenities.

Is traveling about the journey or the destination:  Definitely the destination!  As I get older, I have less patience for traveling and it’s not because the flights are uncomfortable.  We almost always travel Singapore Airlines and many times get to travel in first or business class, but it’s killer waiting for time to pass regardless of the entertainment.  I once read THREE books on a flight from California to Taiwan.  It was fun, but I would have still preferred to be sitting on my own sofa!  Now, of course, with a young child, I wish we could beam ourselves wherever we’re going minus the jet lag.

If I’m in London and have a spare four hours, what you recommend that I do:  We’ve only just moved to London a few months ago, so I haven’t been everywhere yet.  But it is possible to take the subway (Tube) and go to quite a few places.  I’d probably suggest riding straight down to Central London to visit the Natural History Museum (SW7 5BD) at the South Kensington stop, then walk up adjacent Cromwell Road to Harrods’s and surrounding Knightsbridge for some elegant, delicious treats and good shopping.

Photo credit:  Hsien-Hsien Lei

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Hsien is a Chinese-American who has lived outside of the United States since 1998:  Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and now Britain.  She will eventually settle in Singapore with her family, but she continues to call California her home.

Hsein blogs at:  A Hearty Life, Genetics & Health, Healthcare Wurk, and Cotton-Pickin Days.

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Where did you go on your last vacation:  Cape Town, South Africa.  Totally awesome.  A place you simply have to visit to believe.

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  Weddings in NYC and Seattle.  Hardly a vacation, but happy times.

If you were on a five-hour flight, whom would you want to be sitting with:  What an easy question!  I want to sit next to you, of course!  Make it an 18-hour flight. (Did I mention that Addison is quite the charmer?)

Do you have a travel tip that you’d like to share:  Yes.  Coach class travel is really, really awful.  It’s as bad as they say.  It’s getting worse.  Or maybe it’s my middle age that makes it less tolerable.

Name five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list:  Vancouver (again), Sydney, Budapest, Prague, and Jerusalem.

Window or Aisle:  Are you kidding?  Aisle every time ““ so I can breathe a tad.

All time favorite vacation experience:  Sleep.  Blissful sleep.

Most embarrassing travel experience:  There is no way I’m telling you this in writing.  On that 18-hour flight you will be able to get it out of me.  (Makes me wonder just how embarrassing it is.)

Is it about the journey or the destination:  Destination.  Remember I said coach class is awful?  I continue to buy lottery tickets just in case, cause then I’m not flying commercial at all.

If I’m in nearby San Diego and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  Walk out the airport and stroll down the harbor towards the city.  Turn up B Street, and go to the best brewpub in town ““ Karl Strauss Brewing Company.  By the time your thirst is dealt with, your four hours are up.

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Addison Schonland has over 20 years experience spawning multiple travel and aviation companies, and is an often quoted source of exclusive news and interviews.  He is the founder of the IAG Blog.

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Where did you go on your last vacation:  Hmmm, let’s see, last vacation. What’s that again? I would say my last pseudo-vacation was a trip back to the little, country hometown where I spent most of my life growing up, Morgantown, Kentucky, the “Catfish Capital of the World”

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  We’re taking my daughter to Chicago for her 4th birthday. I know, I know, starting that WAY too soon. Combining it with a short weekend trip with my older brother and his family.

If you were stuck in a middle seat for a five hour flight, who would you want sitting on either side of you:  An attractive, nice smelling woman suffering from narcolepsy and my favorite author, Michael Crichton.

Do you have a travel tip that you’d like to share:  Relax and be flexible. I traveled quite a lot for business in a previous job, and I was amazed at the stress people let themselves get into over a flight or a delay. Relax. Everybody’s got somewhere to go if they’re on the plane; people don’t just take a “Sunday afternoon flight” for the fun of it.

Name five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list:  Australia, Alaska, Africa, Asia, and wherever “on location” ends up being for the next season of Survivor!

Window seat or aisle:  Window.  I’m still a kid at heart and love looking out the window. Plus if you want to sleep you’ve got something to lean up against, I rarely will use the restroom, so no need for me to get up mid-flight.

All time favorite vacation experience:  Although it wasn’t quite a vacation, I’ll say my California bicycle trip in January 1993. It was for a class in college and I biked from Monterey to San Diego, California, and across into Arizona in 15 days. What an experience!

Most embarrassing travel experience:  I was on a flight and the in-flight movie was Bruce Almighty. I could NOT stop laughing out loud during the newsroom scene. Everyone started looking at me, because most of the plane wasn’t watching the movie, so to just hear some guy wheezing and gasping from laughing so hard was throwing other passengers off a little bit.

Is traveling about the journey or the destination:  For me traveling has always been about the journey. In fact, when I was traveling in business, I usually hated the trip once I got there, at least at night. Eating by yourself in a distant city just isn’t all that fun after awhile. But I could last for hours sitting in an airport and watching people.

If I am in the Indianapolis, and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  In Indianapolis, the city seems to be a lot about sports. Taking a walk along the canal and ending up at the NCAA Hall of Champions, Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana State Museum and IMAX, or catching a minor league baseball game at Victory Field, are great! If you’re into automobile racing at all, then visiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Museum is nice too.
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Jason Bean spent eight years in the travel industry as a technology manager or corporate travel agent. He is married with two great kids, and lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.  He is currently an independent business consultant, blogger, and web designer on the side. His blogs at:  BNPositive, The Unauthorized Microsoft Weblog, and Office 12 Watch.

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Where did you go on your last vacation:  Las Vegas.

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  In my mind, Rome.  In reality, Long Beach Island, New Jersey.  They have beautiful beaches!

Who would you want sitting next to you on a five-hour flight:  Craig Ferguson of TV’s Late Night and Robert Redford.

Do you have a travel tip that you’d like to share: I always dress well when traveling.  Having lived in London, I took two trips back to the states, and each time I dressed up I was bumped up to business class.

Name five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list:  Capri, Scotland, Alaska, Tokyo, and Provence.

Window seat or aisle:  Window.

All time favorite vacation experience:  I just saw the cast of Entourage in Vegas last week…very cute.

Most embarrassing travel experience:  When they pull you aside for the security wand check.

Favorite hotel:  SoHo Grand in NYC.  A very lovely hotel, Kim.

Is traveling about the journey or the destination:  Both.  The journey can have stopovers, if possible.

If I am in Emerson, and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  I live in Emerson, NJ which is one 1/2 hour from NYC.  Go into the city and shop your brains out.

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Kim Banks blogs at Blog Fabulous, a blog dedicated to working women, and is the founder of The Pet Set, a line of greeting cards and stationery for dog and the humans who correspond for them.
 

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Current location:  Zurich, Switzerland.

Where did you go on your last vacation:  Vacations are often spent in the UK visiting family and friends.  Last autumn we spent some time in Devon and Cornwall, the south west of England, which has great beaches and dramatic coastlines – great for walking. There are also some great restaurants down there; our favorite was Rick Stein’s in Padstow – he’s a big celebrity chef in the UK and once you’ve eaten there you can see why.
 
The last real vacation we had was in Tuscany, Italy – a villa in the mountains with nobody else around. We’d spend a day at the pool and then the next day sightseeing:  Assisi, Orvieto, Siena and so on. I really love Italy.
 
Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  Other than a short trip to the UK to play golf in the New Forest, we’re aiming to spend a week or so in Spain. My wife’s favorite singer, Rufus Wainwright, is playing at a couple of festivals near Barcelona in July and I bought her tickets for our wedding anniversary. It’ll be a bit of reminiscing – I used to work in Barcelona just after leaving school – plus sightseeing. We’ll take in the Gaudi architecture, and, of course, an attempt to rediscover the old Grand Prix circuit in the Montjuic Parc. Then we’ll head down the coast for some sun. With Rufus playing at either end of the trip, it should be fun.
 
If you were on a five-hour flight, whom would you want to be sitting with:  Max Mosley. He’s the president of the FIA, the body in charge of Formula One racing. I’d love to ask him why they keep implementing stupid rule changes, explain my ideas for improvements, and then try to persuade him to give me a highly paid consultancy role as a representative of public opinion.
 
Do you have a travel tip that you’d like to share:  To avoid jet lag, set your watch to the time zone of the area you are traveling to. And then break with common practice and drink vast quantities of alcohol and no water. But please don’t get rowdy and annoy other passengers or the cabin crew. (Thanks Geoff, I appreciate your adding that!)  The logic is quite simple. You will feel terrible when you arrive, but it will just seem like you’ve been at an all night party, and your body will forget to worry about the time difference. Just recover from the hangover and off you go!
 
Name five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list: Taj Mahal, Spa Francorchamps (the race circuit in Belgium), Indianapolis (for the 500), Grand Canyon, and An African safari.
 
Window seat or aisle: It all depends. Usually I don’t have a preference. My favorite option is to go with a special person and go on a plane that lets you get a window and an aisle next to each other, like the three rows of seats at the back of a 747. Or get upgraded to business!
 
All time favorite vacation experience: I’m afraid this is predictable, but I spent a week learning to drive a single-seat racing car at Magny Cours in France once. The combination of driving on the circuit, French food and wine (in the evenings only!) made it an unbeatable experience.
 
Most embarrassing travel experience:  I guess that would be the time I was flying back to the UK to drive in a race and couldn’t find my passport or my crash helmet. A phone call to my wife resolved the passport issue (after establishing that it would still have been possible to travel with a temporary one) but the crash helmet proved elusive. It was only when I thought to ring Lost Property at Zurich airport that I discovered I’d left it there on the way home from my previous race.
 
Is traveling about the journey or the destination:  Well, they say that Life is a journey, so in that case it’s definitely not the destination!  I’d say that if I’m flying to Barbados, it’s about the destination. If I’m traveling the route of the Mille Miglia through Italy, or exploring the vineyards of Bordeaux, then it’s about the journey. As you can see, I’m not a Black and White person!
 
Favorite airline:  Virgin Atlantic. The cabin crew is always great fun, and I must confess to liking the uniform! But then I haven’t flown your airline yet.
 
Favorite hotel:  La Source in Grenada. It’s a resort more than a hotel, but there’s so much to do, great body treatments, superb food, I’d go back any time.
 
If I am in Zurich, and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  The thing that’s special about Zurich is just being there. It’s not that you have to visit one of the cathedrals, or the art gallery or the Opera, or even the shops. It’s best just to take a relaxing walk down Bahnhofstrasse, be astounded by some of the jewelry for sale, and stop at Sprünglis for a hot chocolate in winter, or a beer at one of the outdoor cafes in the Niederdorf in summer. Or perhaps start with a glass of champagne at the Jules Verne bar. It’s in an old observatory and up on the tenth floor it’s way higher than the rest of Zurich and looks out over hundreds of years of rooftops. No skyscrapers here. And of course, there’s the lake. If you’re lucky you might be able to see the Alps in the distance, but that’s quite unusual. Zurich is all about quality of life, so just enjoy the architecture and do what feels good to you.

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Geoff Colllins is at home in Zurich, Switzerland where he writes for Pit Pass, and blogs about Formula One at Zurich Gnome.  When he’s not working or writing, he’s traveling, enjoying fine food and wine, or dreaming about racing.

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Current Location:  Billings, Montana

Where did you go on your last vacation:  The Official Destination was to the northern Oregon coastal region.  We actually began in Montana, passed through Idaho and Washington on our way to Portland, hit the coastal region, and then back through Washington to see the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River, passed through Idaho again, and returned home.  It was a very long road-trip, and fun mostly, but for spending more time at a destination I vote for flying there and back instead of driving.

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  Plans?  What are those?  Mostly nearby local haunts for some camping this summer (the luxury of living in Montana is having nature recreation easily accessible).  2007 will most likely see us “down South” to visit relatives we haven’t seen in years.  Arkansas and however much else we’re able to fit into our time & budget.  Getting to anywhere else is one of the downsides to living in Montana.

If you were stuck in a middle seat for a five hour flight, who would you want sitting next to you:  I’d pick Edward Abbey, except he’s dead, although that could make for a very surreal flight.  Honestly though, anyone who isn’t afraid of Big Words and doesn’t smell, would make excellent seat companions.

Window or Aisle:  Window.  I enjoy watching the view, and if it’s just clouds I can nap.

Five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list:  My list varies depending on the season (in summer, cool places sound promising; in winter, tropical places sound heavenly) The British Isles; Coastal Maine, USA; The Yucatan; Egypt; Nepal

All time favorite vacation experience:  There have been wonderful things about all the vacations I have ever been on, so this is hard one to answer.  I don’t think this really counts as “all time favorite”, but having bagels with cream cheese and fresh strawberries for breakfast in the Lodge by Lake Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park is one memory that has stayed with me for over 15 years. 

Favorite hotel:  The Grand Hotel, located in Big Timber, Montana.

If I am in Billings, and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  This one is tough, because there are a lot of little festivals scattered throughout the year that are fun, but not something that a visitor could do any time they happened to be in town.  If it is summer season and the State Parks are open, I would suggest putting up a picnic lunch and driving out to the Pictograph Cave State Park (seen in Deb’s photo left).  The trails might be too strenuous for some people, but the views are worth the trip even if you just have a picnic in the picnic area.  Be sure to bring a camera. 

Is traveling about the journey or the destination:  If I’m flying, it is all about the destination.  Everything in between might be interesting, but it isn’t my focus.  Other modes of transportation however, are much more about the journey.

Travel Tip:  Always have a snack in your carry on, and $20 in cash.  If your flight has an unexpected delay, you can get a bite to eat, even if your airline doesn’t offer vouchers.  The snack is in case you are at a small airport and there isn’t food available.

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Deb Ligget has spent most of her 35 years in Montana, and while she doesn’t enjoy being cold in winter, she does love living there.  Two cats and three kids, who also co-own her husband, own her.  She loves books, and enjoys many arts & crafts, as well as writing.  Some day she hopes to stop procrastinating and write a novel.  Meanwhile, she blogs about needlework at Tangled Thread.

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Where did you go on your last vacation:  Skiing in Colorado.

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  Seattle.  (My hometown, Jesse, so I can give you lots of suggestions.)

If you were stuck in a middle seat for a five hour flight, who would you want sitting next to you:  Doesn’t matter as long as they’re skinny and don’t snore!

Window or Aisle:  Window.

Five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list:  Ireland, Thailand, Italy, Greece and Hawaii.

All time favorite vacation experience:  Going on the Karakoram Highway

Most embarrassing travel experience:  Can’t think of any. . . .

If I am in Tulsa and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  Stay at the airport or go out to eat. Nothing worth seeing

C’mon, Jesse, there must be something to do or see:  There are a couple of mind-bogglingly boring museums here as well as minor league baseball and basketball teams that suck.  (Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do or see in Tulsa?)

Is traveling about the journey or the destination:  It’s about both.  I wouldn’t take one without the other.

Travel tip:  Always leave the house early, always get there early, always ask not to be seated in the aisle, always have phone number of friends in the cities you’ll be traveling through, and NEVER go on Aeroflot.  (I think there’s a story there.)

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Jesse is a traveler, student, and blogger from Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He blogs at Squib Kick, a NFL blog, and has a personal blog at Resiny.

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Where did you go on your last vacation:  South Central Georgia to visit my parents. The last (and first) REAL vacation was just before our oldest was born. We took a belated honeymoon: two weeks in Honolulu! I almost forgot: I had a work trip to Keystone, Colorado last summer. My wife, Kerri, and our youngest, Luke (He was just 2 months old.) got to come along, so it was part work/part vacation.

Where do you plan to go on your next vacation:  Not counting family visits, the next few will probably be semi-educational.  Probably car trips to various museums and such.   A trip to Washington DC is a must. Hopefully I’ll get the work trip to Colorado again!  This time we’re leaving all three kids behind.

If you were stuck in a middle seat for a five hour flight, who would you want sitting with you:  Family, please!  If I were stuck with strangers, I’d prefer quiet ones. I like to sleep on planes.

Window seat or aisle: Aisle all the way, though I can handle the window if I get to sleep.

Name five destinations that are on your “must see before I die” list: So many places.  I’d like to see… Let’s go with the UK, Ireland, China, Israel, and an African safari.
 
All time favorite vacation experience:  Family visits are always fun, but the trip to Honolulu was awesome. We were on a budget, but that just made for better memories. I found a great little breakfast cafe a couple blocks off Waikiki and a Starbucks to sit and journal. We hiked Diamond Head (Kerri was five months pregnant at the time! Go girl!), and played in some monster surf off North Shore. Some friends of ours were there, too, and we had a blast on the cheap dinner cruise. The whole story is too long, but let me say this: the first mate also manned the grill; and when turning the boat in choppy surf to head back to the dock the captain said over the intercom, “I usually have pretty good luck with this.” We laughed the whole night… unlike many of the other passengers who were quite green. 

Most embarrassing travel experience:  So far, I’ve avoided embarrassment. Even when traveling with kids, they’ve been pretty well behaved.

If I am in Dayton, and have a spare four hours, what would you recommend that I do:  Four hours leaves you enough time to visit the US Air Force Museum, and perhaps the Wright Bros. Bicycle Shop.

Is traveling about the journey or the destination? With kids: the destination, without: the journey.

Do you have a travel tip that you’d like to share: Be early so you can take your time. There are too many other things that can cause stress when you travel, there’s no need to push last minute connections and such. Spending an extra hour or two traveling will probably keep stress from taking a year or two off your life.

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Cory Aldrich lives in Dayton, OH, USA, with his wife, Kerri, and their three children: Samantha (5), Jacob (2) and Luke (1). By day he works as a retirement plan administrator, and by night he blogs at 55 Fiction, Baldiness.com, House Is Right, Supernanny Rules, AND Bald Man Blogging.

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