Let’s face it--Americans have always been about bigger and better, from 10-gallon hats to Big 10 universities. And who can blame us? We’ve always been a country of hardworking go-getters. We deserve high quality. Travel should be no exception to the rule.

One problem with this approach, though, is that the usual desired effects of travel--mental health, bonding, fond memories--are not always easily quantifiable. What we end up remembering as our “best” travel experiences are often spontaneous, and even mundane. You can’t predestine everything.

As Amy blogged about earlier this year, that’s what proponents of the Slow Travel movement are saying. Says Pauline Kenny’s 10,000-strong site, slowtrav.com: “Slow down, immerse yourself in the local culture and avoid the fast pace of rushing from one guidebook ‘must-see’ to the next.” That sounds like great advice for taking the stress out of your vacation--and a great way to save money as well.

Case in point: this summer, I spent most of my coveted vacation time hitting the road with my band. Our entire itinerary was constructed around rushing to our next show in an ever-slim amount of time, crammed like sardines between luggage and equipment. But our most amazing memories ended up being the ones we made when we were forced to slow down.

After two hours stopped in dead-still traffic on a desolate New Mexican highway, we got out and danced around in the scorched desert dust. We celebrated our brilliant panorama with a pow-wow on the side of the road. We ate snacks, told stories, walked around, and sweated out the 100-plus degree heat as a team. It ended up being one of my favorite travel moments of all time.

So, in the spirit of the (ironically) fast-growing Slow Travel movement, I have to ask: what are some of your top spontaneous travel moments?

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Posted in Budget Travel, Industry Beat, Offbeat, Road Trips
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Like many of you, I'm thinking a lot about my New Year's resolutions. Every year I diligently make promises to myself that I intend to keep, but I always revert back to my coffee-swilling, bacon-eating, gym-phobic ways within a month or two.

What I need is some professional help to inspire me to make permanent changes in my life, but the program would have to be fun if I’m going to commit. That's why this year I'm contemplating indulging in a wellness regimen at a destination spa.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Mandan Lynn.

It used to be that there were just a few simple facilities offering little more than a morning hike, but today's destination spas have become vacations unto their own, providing a hybrid of relaxation, adventure, and self-help education.

Forbes identified 11 fabulous spas that will help you lose weight, Concierge explored the best spas for an intensive yoga retreat, and Spafinder will even help you locate spas focusing on wellness the world over. But "new you" programs go far beyond simple fitness classes and weight loss management.

Why not visit the spa on the lips of Manhattan's elite--The Mayflower Inn--to work on that novel you keep promising yourself you'll write with the "Deep Focus Writing Workshop"?

Looking for more sweat and less stress? Try the Red Rock Casino Resort Spa in the Las Vegas desert and sign up for heart-pounding, calorie-crunching thrills like canyon hiking, hot springs kayaking, and rock climbing.

Or make a like a star-stubbed celebrity and visit We Care, a holistic fasting spa in Desert Hot Springs, California, but don’t be fooled by the coddling name. The spa is located miles from civilization and surrounded by a high fence. Guests subsist entirely on liquids like vegetable juice and fiber drinks and undergo (cough, cough) colonics.

How will you keep your resolutions in 2008?

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Posted in Adventure Travel, Celebrities, Spas
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Happy Holidays! Is it just me, or does it seem that New Year’s Eve tends to be a let down if only because the night is so hyped? There are always years when New Year’s is a little more of a rockin’ Eve than others. I know of some people who will be going to pretty amazing places, while I will be heading to a wedding in a city with a slightly less raucous reputation. That said, I am heading to a wedding which will combine all the best parts of New Year’s Eve—friends, dancing, and champagne—with the celebratory emphasis placed squarely where it should be: on the bride and groom.

The New Year symbolizes so much; January is named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, whose likeness was carved into doorways as a representation of coming and going, old and new. So, it makes sense, then, that now is the time to consider where one will travel. It is now when people decide to take a trip sometime over the next 12 months.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member stomps

Not including Steel Town, I’ll be heading to at least one more tropical locale to report on one of the biggest parties in the world. It’s all business, I swear. As my friends are of the age, it seems, I’ll be heading to at least a couple other weddings, and likely a weekend trip or two.

However, this is the first time in a very long time when, as the holidays approached, arrived, and now speed away, that I am urged to just go. I could have used the “dart on a map” or “spin a globe and point” methods of choosing a destination, but basically just decided to go with the first place that popped into my head.

I’m not the only one who is so disposed to doing such a thing as this--especially at such a time as now. The New Year exudes change, reformation, rebuilding—or deconstruction, for any resolved dieters—and though I’m no polytheist, Janus certainly has been left to his devices. From a destination a week (don’t forget that 2008 is a leap year!), to what is going to be a hot destination, to reports of the imminent decline of tourism, nearly everyone looks forward to a trip at some point in the next year, and with good reason. Whether you’re riding the wave of a great 2007, or you’re hoping that you throw away the past year’s memories along with your old wall calendar, planning some sort of travel is an outstanding resolution.

So, where are you going?

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As I’m swapping Christmas gifts today, I’m thinking more about my next caipirinha than my next eggnog; tonight I’ll pack my bags for Brazil, off to spend New Year’s in Rio de Janeiro on my first trip to South America.

This will also be my first New Year’s Eve in a distant locale, but I’ve always loved celebrating holidays in new places, so I’m banking on it being special. Among my favorites were two Easters in France (despite being stampeded by umbrella-wielding throngs outside Notre-Dame), and I’m always intrigued to hear about others’ holiday travels—windows into other cultures seem to be particularly clear on special days.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Shaken_Bake

These "destination holidays” are growing in popularity. In one poll, lastminute.com found that the number of UK travelers heading overseas for Christmas this year is up 11% over last year. Another survey names an overriding factor for this as a desire to avoid "hectic preparation, drunken antics and rubbish gifts;" this doesn’t necessarily echo my more optimistic reasons, but it does mean a lot of people are swapping the traditional for the exotic in pursuit of the holly-jolly.

Personal anecdotes point to a trend as well: I have a coworker on a Caribbean cruise right now and friends headed everywhere from New York to India. Holidays, it seems, are attractive times for many travelers: the budget seekers; the do-gooders; the partygoers; the culture hounds.

So now, along with my good wishes for a merry holiday, I’m sending everyone a travel question: Where have you jetted for holidays past? And do you agree that holidays are optimal times to travel far and wide—great days to observe and reflect with locals?

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A blizzard tore through the Texas Panhandle this weekend. Wipe that disbelieving frown off your face; yes, it snows in Texas. I awoke on my second morning home for the holidays to see white gusts blowing sideways outside my window. We were house-bound, and the snow rendered the roads so impassable that an 80-car pileup slammed into I-40, just outside Amarillo (which is about 120 miles south of my hometown, Perryton). On the rural plains, there are no trees, no tall buildings, no blips on the flat surface of the landscape to break the winds and provide a buffer from the onslaught of winter weather. Not only does it snow in Texas, but the conditions snowstorms bring are fiercer and more violent here than I’ve ever experienced in my going-on-8-years in the Northeast.

With not much to keep me occupied (I taught my sister to play Scrabble, started a jigsaw puzzle, and read four cookbooks cover to cover) I began to think about the misconceptions that plague my not-so-humble home state. As travelers, we encounter misconceptions (others’ and our own) with the regularity of delayed flights; this single phenomenon encompasses one of travel’s greatest challenges and the root of its greatest rewards. And it’s because we understand this that it’s our duty to dispel misconceptions wherever and whenever we are qualified. As a born-and-bred Texan who is actually quite fond of her home state, but whose first impulse upon telling others of her origins is to assure them that she isn’t, I think it’s high time to set the record straight. Please take a moment to get the cowboys-and-guns jokes out of your system. Now, coming to you straight from the Lone Star State, here are the five things every Texan wishes others understood.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member bmwhd

1. Texas is huge.
You probably know this already, at least in a vague sense, but I can’t count the number of times people have asked me why I don’t just drive from Dallas instead of connecting to Amarillo when I fly home (my hometown is a 7-hour drive from Dallas), or if I know someone from Houston or Austin or El Paso (distance-wise, that’s like asking someone from New York City if they know someone from Columbus, Ohio). Texas covers more than 266,000 square miles (by comparison, New York state comprises only 47,000) and makes up nearly 10% of the landmass of the entire 48 contiguous states. Doesn’t seem so unbelievable that it snows somewhere in Texas, does it?

2. Texas is beautiful.
I have a special affinity for the vast plains of the Panhandle, where nothing interrupts the huge, heavy sky, but there’s also the Hill Country in Central Texas, which turns azure in spring with a thick cloak of bluebonnets; countless picturesque lakes; and what is perhaps both Texas’ crowning glory and its best-kept secret: Big Bend National Park in West Texas, one of the country’s least visited (and therefore most untouched) natural treasures.

3. Texas is more than just Bush country.
We’re all well aware of the President’s connection to our state (though he was, ahem, born in the great state of Connecticut). No need to point it out. Yes, Texas is predominantly a Republican state; yes, hunting is one of its favorite rural pastimes; yes, you’ll get a healthy dose of cowboy hats, Wranglers, and thick Texas drawls in any non-urban area in the state (and sometimes in the urban areas too). Such is the picture of “Bush Country,” and it exists, but it’s such a small part of what Texas is. See point #1. Texas is also home to the indefatigable journalist Molly Ivins, rock legend Janis Joplin, Academy Award-winning actor and director Tommy Lee Jones, and former governor Ann Richards, whom I had the privilege of meeting once and experiencing her intelligence, charisma, and sharp-tongued humor in person. Need further proof? See more famous Texans.

4. Texas has soul.
Texans fought hard for their hugely inflated pride. You’ve probably heard of the Battle of the Alamo, when a Texan army of barely 200 men defended the storied mission for 13 days against more than 6,000 Mexican soldiers in the fight for independence. Commander William B. Travis’ famous letter, written shortly before he and his army were killed by Mexican troops, is as moving as any work of poetry I’ve ever read. (Texas did defeat the Mexican army in the end; it was the Battle of the Alamo that stalled Santa Anna’s troops long enough for Sam Houston to gather forces for the Battle of San Jacinto.) Today, you can visit the Alamo (and eat worth-the-trip-alone Mexican food) in San Antonio; in fact, Texas is chock-full of interesting history for the traveler. My favorite are the picturesque grounds of the Texas capitol in Austin; the capitol itself is the largest state capitol in the country (here’s a ripe opportunity to exclaim, “Everything is bigger is Texas!!”) and is made of pink granite that was quarried less than 50 miles away.

5. Texas is packed with culture.
I’m familiar with the tendency to reduce Texas to a single stereotype, but when I think about the vast range of cultural offerings, landscapes, and points of intrigue to be found here, it seems wildly irrational. Of all the states I’ve lived in or visited, Texas is the least disposed to a single “schtick.” Fort Worth, for instance, boasts the famous Stockyards and a thriving cowboy culture, but it’s also home to a collection of world-class art museums. Houston, usually known for its sprawling mass and big oil and gas business, also nurtures a hotbed of performing arts. And the much beloved Austin is at once the state capitol and a bastion of the weird and artistic (its claims to fame include the largest urban bat colony in North America; one of the music and film industry’s most buzzed-about annual events, South by Southwest; and a thriving community of progressive, locally owned businesses). The state’s strong Mexican presence can be felt everywhere, too, especially in Southwest Texas. And though it might seem an overstatement, I consider Tex-Mex, a glorious regional cuisine that I’ve yet to find done well anywhere else, to be nothing short of a gift from God.

Now that I’ve revealed myself to be (gasp!) a proud Texan, I’d love to hear about what misconceptions, as a citizen of the world, you feel compelled to diffuse. What dismantled misconceptions have marked the turning points in your lives as travelers?

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Travel smarter and you can travel less next year. I know this is not exactly what you think you might hear from a girl who spends her time touting travel. But the truth is I don't think any of us have to travel more. I mean, sure, there are endless places I'd like to see and there is always something else out there to do. But the truth is there is so much time that is wasted. There is so much waste. It can depress me to think about it. But by making better choices we can reduce our overall footprint, save time, save money, and even enjoy our travels more fully when we do take off.

I'm one of those people who believes that the little things we do truly make up who we are. It's not the big, grand gestures (although sure, if I had Bill Gates' money or Warren Buffet's or Oprah's I would like to make a grand gesture with a massive pledge toward the science of reversing climate change) but seeing as I don't have that kind of cash, I have to make the little things I do matter.

How, you say? By doing more with less. It's the whole work smarter not harder theory but applied to your own personal carbon footprint. (Want to know more about your carbon footprint? Check out some good friends of mine: the eco-bunnies eco-bunnies and once you know about your carbon footprint teach your kids, go into their classrooms and teach it --there are lesson plans provided on the website -- and put it into practice.) More specifically when it comes to making your plans next year select hotels with a green track record. Need to maintain a budget while you're away? Look for farmer's markets rather than eating every meal at a restaurant. You'll save money, eat healthier, and support local businesses. Want to bring home a fantastic souvenir? Visit a local crafts market or support local arts cooperative. If you don't know where to start ask the concierge at your hotel to find out for you. Make zeroing out your travel carbon emissions part of your budget. If you want to save big on your carbon footprint and your wallet combine your business travel with a vacation and take one less flight. Once you've arrived at your destination use mass transit, ride a bike or walk as a way of getting around.

If you think this is hard or you're not sure where to begin use the web to start. Check for what major suppliers are doing. Fairmont Hotels, Vail Resorts, Terra Resorts, Delta Airlines, Hertz rental cars (and the list of mainstream providers goes on!) all have green initiatives underway. Does that mean they're doing all they can? No. But it's a start. A majority of consumers say they are willing to spend up for eco or green experiences and the more we can reward suppliers by buying their eco products the more we'll see of them. We all have to think about where we begin. Because we have the power to make a difference. One day at a time, one trip at a time, one carbon footprint erased at a time.

Before you know it you'll be saving up, traveling smarter and leaving a whole lot less behind.

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Inspired by a piece in this morning’s USA Today and of course, the melancholy that comes with saying goodbye to one year and welcoming another, I decided to take a look back at the year in travel. Not my own travels, mind you, though I did have some wonderful trips – Hawaii, Thailand and France come to mind. No, I wanted to take a look at what changed in travel in 2007 – especially those things that will impact us in the year ahead.

If you read this blog (or a newspaper) with any regularity, you know this year was a record one for flight delays. The delays were particularly bad this summer, when one in four flights did not reach their destination on time. Passengers were beyond frustrated, and the federal government stepped in. President Bush told the airlines it was time for a change – and now, with flights being capped at JFK during peak hours starting in March of 2008, it appears change is on the way. How will flight caps help? Many industry experts say that over scheduling by the airlines is a major factor. For those of you who live outside of New York, this impacts you too – at one point this summer, 75 percent of delays can be traced to a New York-area airport, according to an article in New York Magazine.

For travelers, improvements in technology indicate big changes in 2008. First, testing by Continental Airlines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston signals the early stages of paperless check-in. And earlier this month, JetBlue began offering free email and instant messaging on one of its flights. American Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines plan to offer web access in the coming months, according to the New York Times. To that I say – is there anyplace left to escape the office? I am going to start spending more time in the subway.

One thing that I found particularly annoying this year was the fact that several airlines are moving towards “no-cash” policy for purchases made in-flight. Something that didn’t impact me much but I know annoyed many others was the change in Southwest’s seating policy. Now, instead of the “cattle-call” seating arrangement, passengers are assigned a number within their boarding group. Families are allowed to board together between the “A” and “B” groups, no matter when they check in – a departure from the old policy that allowed families to board ahead of other passengers.

There were many more changes – new passport rules; the birth of Virgin America ; the sinking value of the US dollar – but I’d be interested (as always!) to hear what you have to say about the what changed this year. What annoyed you? What do you love? What do you see on the horizon in 2008?

Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!

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Everywhere I go these days, people are asking me if I've finished my holiday shopping. The answer? A resounding no. I'm not doing all that badly though---as of this morning, I've only got one more present to buy. But since I've scoured every shop in San Francisco to find something suitable---and my Friday night flight home looms ever near---I'm gradually realizing that my only other option may just be to buy something at the airport.

Don't laugh! It's not what you're thinking, I promise. In fact, airport shopping has come a long way since the days of old, when you'd be lucky if you could scrounge up a tacky souvenir keyring and the latest issue of People magazine as an impromptu present. These days, you can actually find a remarkably nice holiday gift if you've got a half hour between check-in and boarding. Read on for the top five ideas.

Travel Accessories
If you've got friends and family who travel often---or really even just take a few flights a year---something they can use on the plane will be invaluable. And guess what? You're in the best place to buy it! Look for noise-canceling headphones, inflatable travel pillows, and flight socks at the check-out registers of many airport stores (or see if there's a Brookstone---many airports have them---for even swankier stuff!)

Airline Lounge Passes
Picture the last time you traveled---especially long-distance, and especially on a flight that turned out to be delayed. You really could have used a quiet place to unwind and check email, a few free drinks and snacks, and maybe even a shower, right? Bingo: you needed an airline lounge. And unless you were traveling Business or First class, you didn't get to use one---at least not without ponying up the cash. For somewhere in the region of $25 to $50, you might consider buying a person with an upcoming trip a day pass to a private airport lounge. Check at the airline counter or drop by one of the lounges to see what they offer.

Gift Cards
Sure, it's a little lazy, but could it be any easier? After all, most airports have a huge range of eating and drinking establishments, and rare is the person who's been known to turn down a $20 gift card to Starbucks.

Vending Machine Goods
Don't worry, I'm not talking about buying your grandma a Snickers bar and an Orange Crush for Christmas. Vending machines---excuse me, “robotic product delivery systems”---are becoming increasingly sophisticated in airports, dispensing all manner of things from iPods to cosmetics (and they don't shut down when stores do, which is great news for the red-eye set.) If you're lucky enough to be leaving from Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Indianapolis, or Minneapolis, have a quick scout around for one of the ZoomSystems that seem to be popping up everywhere. Your dad will never have to know you bought him that Sony digital camera at the eleventh hour.

Duty Free Treats
If all else fails, hit the Duty Free store and stock up on easy-peasy gifts for less: a pint of Baileys, the world's largest Toblerone, and a fancy bottle of something made by Chanel? Why, that's three people knocked off your Christmas list already. True, it's not particularly original but is there anyone who doesn't like chocolate and smelling good? (Well, maybe. But then again, you probably don't want to be friends with them anyway.)

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As an American living in a post-9/11 world, it’s somewhat counterintuitive to abolish border checkpoints. Over the past few years, our government has heightened security measures and implemented new passport regulations. But in Europe, just the opposite is happening, as nine more countries will sign the EU agreement on Friday.

Traveling throughout Europe is much like traveling domestically from state to state. Europeans have enjoyed the freedoms of borderless travel since the founding countries (France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) signed the so-called Schengen treaty in 1985. Since then, the EU has grown to include 15 countries.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Vicho.

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In the Beatles hit, a young Paul McCartney wondered, “will you still need me… when I’m 64.” The answer is increasingly, yes. The over-60 crowd is sharper and fitter than ever before, and they’re not about to fly into greener pastures with a golden watch on the wings of a forced early retirement.

This played itself out last week as congress, the senate, and then our commander-in-chief approved fast-tracked legislation to raise the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 60 to 65. The ease with which this legislation passed undermines a fierce debate about airline pilot age that’s been going on for decades.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member John Spreitz.

Opponents to raising the minimum retirement age see it as a safety issue, arguing that the effects of age diminish pilot capacity. Slowed reflexes, they say, can be catastrophic in the cockpit when split-second decisions are sometimes the difference between life and death.

On the other side, are those who see forced retirement at 60 as discrimination, arguing that if an experienced pilot can pass the same standardized and rigorous medical tests as anyone else, why should he or she have to retire simply due to biological age, especially at a time when the aviation industry teeters on the verge of a pilot shortage?

Personally, I feel that if you can pass the ratings tests and pilot reviews, then you should be able to fly, no matter how old you are. But such tests should be more frequent the older a person gets. (Case in point: in her elder years, my late-grandmother clung to her driver’s license, even though she had a terrifying tendency to drive the wrong way down some of Washington, D.C.’s one-way streets.)

If he or she is in good mental and physical health, then would you feel more secure with a seasoned 65-year-old veteran flying the plane or a rookie who’s fresh from the flight simulation deck?

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Every year I like to go some place I've never been before. It's part of my travelution regimen; that is my annual effort to set a travel resolution apart from all those other resolutions about diet, exercise and being a perfect person in the coming year. As I approach 2008 I feel that setting the same kind of goal as normal isn't quite enough. Maybe it's that I'm getting perilously close to 40 and I just have to change up my routine, well whatever it is, I decided to put together a list of wild and or wacky travel things to do. It's not a list that I can accomplish in a single year, but it will serve as a list for me to get to in the coming years (my own travel Bucket List) and I hope that perhaps it can provide some inspiration for you too.

Given my urban life I'm always interested in getting closer to nature. How about feeding a giraffe with your bare hands? It's how I learned about Giraffe Manor as I only had an afternoon in Karen, Kenya (just outside Nairobi) and visited the feeding area down the road from the beautiful hotel. The Giraffes would lope down a maze of trees and disappear. They are totally free to roam on the property of the Giraffe Manor hotel. Guests there are frequently awed by the playful Giraffes who often poke their heads into the inn to say hello.

If giraffes don't do it for you what about a Polar Bear expeditionin Canada? I've always wanted to go visit these adorable bears who are becoming the face of global warming.
Polar Bear expedition in Canada. You can stay at the Nanuk lodge where you're the one in the cage, at least according to them, and the bears are wandering free. For a more active experience try a Frontiers North adventure at Cape Churchill where they're concerned with bear research and you're practically guaranteed bear sightings in their natural environment.

How about going ape for a primate tour in the mountains of Africa. I'm partial to a visit to the Rwandan gorillas, of Gorilla's In The Mist fame, where you can get shockingly close to the gorillas. (I'm talking inches away from a silverback which is sure to be the highlight of any safari experience.) A morning of hiking in the mountains between Rwanda and Uganda will be rewarded by an hour-long visit with a group of gorilla's with at least one silverback.

What about breathtaking scenery. How about staying at an eco-chic boutique hotel, right here at home in the USA. I'm not talking about a resort that recycles towels and offsets some electricity (which by the way I'm not knocking, everyone has to start somewhere) but Terra Resorts takes eco stays to an entirely new level with their first US hotel slated to open January 2008 in Jackson Hole Wyoming. The Terra group is LEED certified and committed to sustainability from the building structure itself (80% recycled steel beams, low-flow water fixtures, 100% recycled roof shingles, low VOC carpets and paint) to items in every room (organic shampoo and lotion, 100% organic cotton linens, natural mattresses).

For the best view you might want to try and dine in the sky. I'm not talking about first class flights either. Try 22 friends, you, the open air – now you're getting the idea. Dinner in the Sky is the company that will make this possible by combining a bit of the extreme – part amusement park ride, part dinner party and an entirely stunning view. Right now you'll have to travel to Brussels or other points in Europe to do this but the Today Show reported that someone in Las Vegas has purchased one so perhaps you'll get your chance to dine above the Vegas strip in the near future.

How does surfing sound? Inside. 365 days a year. That's right, you can do try it out at America's largest indoor water park in – Wisconsin. At the Kalahari Waterpark you can try the flow rider, master blaster, or the splashdown safari (among other indoor rides). There are no threats of rainy days here.

Talking about sporting…bye-bye bungee jumping. The new thrill around is swing jumping. In Ecuador you can do this in a stunning natural setting where they claim it's the closest thing you can do to flying but I say is the fastest way to a heart attack. Though if you go for the serious adrenaline rush I'd say this one is a must for you.

As for the most ridiculous fun you can have, try Zorbing with your best friends in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. Just what is zorbing exactly? It's probably unlike anything you've ever tried before. Essentially, you roll down a mountainside in a plastic ball. Sound wacky enough for you? It's from New Zealand and comes from the creators of Bungee Jumping and Pigeon Forge is the only place in North America where you can try it out.

Nurture your inner artist by taking part at the Breckenridge Snow Sculpture contest – not just to see it. To enter as a team and carve. So you'd be freezing but I'd dress warmly. And what a sense of accomplishment. You start with a 12-foot-tall, 20-ton block of super-packed snow and have five days to create a masterpiece. From Dragons to Domes the carving all has to be done by hand, chisels, saw, or carrot scraper – no power tools allowed.

How about forgetting the food frenzy and the concept of gourmet vacations, instead get a jump start on your diet and fast while you're away. (Ok, I put this one on the list not because I truly want to fast on my vacation, but because I love the counter-culture aspect of this. Personally, I travel FOR the food.) I'd be more apt to take a yoga retreat rather than the starvation vacation. How about trying the power of restorative yoga while blissfully baking on the Bequia beach in the Grenadines.

For those of us who want to get closer and do some good, why not try a Volunteer Vacation. (Did you know that Travelocity will even fund $5K toward your volunteer vacation through their volunteer grant program?) There's a trend out there to do work together so if these volunteer programs don't appeal maybe try a farming vacation right here at home in the heartland.

I hope that gives you a few ideas to put on your travelution list for 2008 and beyond. If you've done any of these or if you have ideas for others – do tell, I'd love to hear about them. In the meantime, happy planning.

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Last year, I spent Christmas Eve getting packages in order, chattering excitedly about the big day ahead, and drifting off to sleep way past my bedtime. Come Christmas Day, though, you wouldn’t find me opening presents by a tree or singing carols with the folks. Instead, I boarded a plane with four friends and spent the holidays in Paris, thousands of miles away.

Although I wasn’t contemplating it while catching snowflakes underneath the spires of Notre-Dame, my choice of holiday was more typical of gay men and lesbians of my age and economic status than I had imagined. Google “gay Christmas travel”, and you’ll be inundated with ads pitching everything from Vegas getaways to tropical cruises. There’s a huge market catering to those of us who are often disinclined to spend the holidays with family--indeed, to those of us who often can’t.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member kwasiak.

As I mentioned in a previous blog posting, gay people tend to have a harder time fitting their lives into traditional family functions than straight people, and the holidays particularly illustrate this point. I took an informal poll of about 40 gay and lesbian friends and acquaintances of mine, and found that less than half plan to visit relatives this holiday season. Most had either made travel plans that didn’t involve family (destinations ranged from the exotic Amazon to gay-friendly locales like Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco), or simply plan to spend the holidays at home or with friends.

My contact, Jerry, at gay and lesbian market research firm Community Marketing, Inc., shared some relevant statistics. Among gay and lesbian respondents to their 12th Annual Gay and Lesbian Tourism Survey, only 24% traveled during December last year. Many of these gay holiday travelers head to ski resorts, warm weather destinations, or to vacation homes (10.4% of lesbians and 8.4% of gay men in Community Marketing, Inc.’s Gay and Lesbian Consumer Index report owning a vacation home). Some even celebrate in more exotic locales, like Rio. I’m not one to pooh-pooh gay Paris, but that’s definitely something to oh là là about.

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This week an Associated Press article highlighted the global race among airlines to add more lie-flat seats to airplane cabins. From United Airlines being the first U.S.-based carrier to offer sleeper seats to talk of Singapore Airlines's new mini-suites with double beds, it seems that snoozing at cruising altitudes may soon be easier.

Sleeping on an airplane is often my number one priority, but achieving REM can be difficult or even downright embarrassing. Everyone has their own airplane sleep technique but none really work. Here are a few I've noticed:

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member quinius

The Neck Donut: Before there were lie-flat seats, this probably was the most practical solution for in-flight shuteye. But there is one huge drawback to these practical pillows: they look like a donut is attacking you. Plus, I'm pretty sure the packaging says, "Recommended for old-timers."

The Window Rip Van Winkle: These people have decided that whatever that sticky film on the window is, it's not toxic. They ball up a coat, or maybe even that coveted amenity, the airline blanket, and go for it. Drooling is practically guaranteed with this maneuver.

The Leaning Tower of Sleeper: These characters don't care about you or your silly personal space issues. They're going where their dreams take them, which is to say, your shoulder or the shoulder on the other side. Nudging, prodding, and elbowing won't arouse this dreaded breed.

The Tonsil Exhibit: There are those who firmly believe that they can lean their heads back, drift off to the Land of Nod, and all will be fine. But nod they do. This group will spend half of the flight falling forward, only to snort and wake themselves up, and the other half showing everyone how beautiful their epiglottis is.

What's your technique? Oh, you know you have one! Want to tuck into the sleeper seat trend? Check out this site that reviews the new lie-flat seats.

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Posted in Air Travel
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A winter ice storm affecting the Midwest may be the first glimpse of what's in store for the busy weeks ahead. Officials in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma have declared states of emergency, according to the Associated Press. Travelers to Denver and the Colorado Rockies may also be affected. In response to today's storm, the following airlines have waived change fees to re-accommodate passengers; please check individual airline websites for more details.
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta
Frontier Airlines
Midwest Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways

High load factors, a busy holiday travel season on the horizon, and winter weather can create a perfect storm of complications for air travelers. It remains to be seen whether or not the “Holiday Express Lane” that gave commercial airlines access to military airspace over Thanksgiving will be used again in December. However, individual airlines have announced steps to make air travel as smooth as possible. A few examples are listed below, but please visit individual airline Web sites for complete details.

United Airlines

• Has added 140 kiosks inside the gates at busy airports so travelers who have been rebooked because of delays can print new boarding passes without going through security again. These kiosks also have software that enables customers to make changes to their itineraries, such as placing themselves on the stand-by list for an earlier flight.

US Airways

• Increasing staff at airports and plans to hold additional spare aircraft for placement into scheduled service if needed.

Northwest Airlines

• Has issued a “20 Point Plan” to minimize disruption during the holiday travel season. The airline will waive rebooking fees for passengers whose plans were disrupted by weather or mechanical delays.

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Posted in Air Travel, Travel Alerts
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For this week’s post, I’m inspired by the recent return of a fellow IgoUgo employee who ventured off on a two-week trip to Yemen. Despite the warnings from the State Department—and pleas from his mother—our friend ventured into a land that is (was) purported to have a high risk of kidnapping for westerners. Yet, he returned, replete with some of the more stunning photos of vast plains, spectral hilltop villages, and children just curious about the camera.

I am all for trying new and uncharted and even slightly dangerous waters, in fact, I think I would prefer them to the placid sea, but certainly some things that call themselves adventurous don’t seem as daring as other, more extreme choices. Of course, to each his or her own—to some, being daring can depend on your location.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member HELEN001

This particular trip was chosen for its remoteness and all that that entails—namely no Starbucks, no tourists, and a lack of pretension in everything from the landscape to the culture. In a way, I assume that the risk was a draw for our now-safe friend, adding to the mystique of a land already steeped in antiquity, and helping to turn an already great travel story into a tale of survival. This type of travel is not new by any means, nor is it foolhardy. However, you’ll want to make sure you don’t overdo it on your checklist. As always, you need to be aware and take certain precautions, but that is true no matter where you go, around the world, or around the corner.

Safety warnings, current events, and any number of other factors can and should come into play when deciding where to go. However, that said, letting fear or paranoia stand in the way of travel is no way to go about things. You don’t need to be entering war zones or witnessing coups—or even bungee jumping—to be adventurous, but that’s also not to say that being out of your comfort zone is not a good thing either. It forces you to interact and become more aware of what is going on around you, and in the world of travel, that’s never a bad thing.

What’s your most harrowing tale from the road? Have you ever traveled despite rumors of risk, only to find them utterly unfounded?

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Posted in Security & Safety, Travel News
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Despite all evidence to the contrary, I love nothing more than a good road trip. I’ll get on a bus to anywhere: Belfast, Ireland; Providence, Rhode Island; Stowe, Vermont; Dijon, France; and Pythagorio, Greece, are among the places I’ve first glimpsed through the windshield of a Peter Pan (or equivalent) coach.

But after reading the reactions of the first group of passengers to disembark from the London-to-Sydney OzBus—under the headline “End of the road for the OzBus after 84 days of mishaps and mayhem”—I have to wonder if a transcontinental-continental-continental bus ride is more terrifying than terrific.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member lcampbell

Though the adventures of the 39 passengers sound absolutely thrilling (save their reports of an AK-47 and purgatory), the travelers reportedly sped through the honeymoon phase and got to complaining and fighting very quickly. Their relieved-to-be-home tour leader even says, “It's been a pretty big undertaking to get everyone to Sydney alive." I suppose those aren’t quite the words I like to hear when summing up a road trip.

Still, the passengers got to roll through Europe and on to Iran, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia. They flew from Bali to Darwin—no Magic School Bus here, I guess—and jumped back on a bus for the trek across Australia. By all accounts, it was harrowing at times, but also the trip of a lifetime for the adventure-hungry. And the experience can be yours for £3750!

I'm still undecided. What do you think—sign up for 2008? Or is it saner to swear off such a trip for good?

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Posted in Australia, Car Travel, International Travel, Scenic Drives
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With the holiday season in full swing, gift shopping underway (well, almost), and my annual hometown pilgrimage upcoming, I’ve had one thing on my mind: family. It’s the time of year when travel means family travel: how to keep the kids entertained, the parents happy, the siblings living harmoniously, and yourself sane. It can take some serious maneuvering.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member C.Kowalczik

I was 10 years old when I learned the true meaning of Thanksgiving: my parents booked a holiday trip to Disney World. Looking back, it seems crazy to vacation to perhaps the world’s most crowded theme park at one of its most crowded times, but they made it work. My dad disappeared for hours at a time into the TV lounge down the hall from our hotel room, blissfully succumbing to hours of football-viewing on ESPN (something he rarely had a chance to enjoy at home, with a house full of non-sports-oriented girls). My sister spent happy afternoons in the hotel’s kids’ program, watching princess movies and doing art projects with other giddy 4-year-olds. My mom maintained a slower pace in the parks by following my 5-consecutive-ride streak on Space Mountain with seated (or just less violent) attractions. And my parents booked the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue for Thanksgiving dinner (my dad was called on stage to be the Indian Brave—something he still hasn’t quite lived down).

The key to enjoying family time in a frenzied environment? Lots of space and prior planning. While we had meals together and made a few park visits as a group, we also allowed for plenty of time to split up and enjoy the things we each wanted to do. And by planning a few key events ahead of time (like Thanksgiving dinner), we were able to bypass a lot of stress. With everyone’s stress barometers at the tipping point around the holidays, that’s no small feat.

What family holiday travel experiences have taught you a thing or two about having fun, getting along, and remaining thankful for your family after the holidays are over?

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Posted in Family & Kids, Florida, Holiday & Seasonal, Theme Parks
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What do you wear on the plane? No, seriously, it's not a rhetorical question: what do you wear on the plane?

I ask only because there was a man on my most recent flight---and we're talking a grown man, one who likely pays taxes, has his driver's license, and is capable of growing a beard---wearing plaid flannel PJ bottoms. Granted, it was a long-ish flight, but really? Plaid pajamas on the plane? Oh, I'm sure they're comfy, but so are corduroys.

It wasn't so long ago that people dressed up for air travel, placing it on the same level of sartorial seriousness as an important dinner date or a job interview. My mother always made sure that we were at least somewhat neatly turned out when we flew, often because we were going to be picked up by relatives at the other end and it just wouldn't do for us to turn up in, ahem, plaid flannel PJs. Perhaps because of this, I've always taken my "airplane outfit" rather seriously.

Of course, merely broaching the matter of what one should (or shouldn't) wear on a plane brings to mind the recent media brouhaha surrounding Kyla Ebbert's risque micro-mini and Joe Winiecki's lewd t-shirt. But I think an airline dress code can be discussed on a level far more low-key, one where an emphasis is placed more on comfort, style, and plain old common sense rather than anything else. To wit, here are the main rules of mine:

* Long pants---no capris or skirts---to keep chills away from ankles
* Shoes that can be slipped on and off easily (and---or at the very least or---thick socks. Have you seen those airplane bathroom floors?)
* Speaking of shoes, no heels. Been there, done that, got the blisters.
* No white. Or cream. Or beige. In fact, head-to-toe black is often the safest way to go.
* Layers for peeling on and off (airplane AC is notoriously fickle)
* No dangly earrings (I've lost too many while dozing against the headrest)
* A pashmina (which ties very neatly to a bag handle like a scarf, thus freeing up valuable real estate in your carry-on) in case the blankets have all been taken by the time you board.
* Nothing sloppy or slobby---one should always hold out hope of getting upgraded (hint: if they're considering you based upon appearance, apparently the shoes are where they look first. Sneakers probably won't make it into the Business Class cabin.)
* No plaid pajama pants. Ever.

What about you---any rules or tips for dressing at 30,000 feet?

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Posted in Air Travel
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The travel industry may have found a way to improve security and go green at the same time. Continental Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston are testing a new check-in procedure using cell phones instead of a paper boarding pass.

The technology involves using encrypted bar codes on mobile device screens, eliminating the chance of a traveler presenting a fraudulent boarding pass. During the three-month pilot program, Continental passengers can receive boarding passes electronically and a TSA officer will then scan the bar codes when the passenger goes through the security checkpoint.

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Posted in Air Travel, Security & Safety, Travel News
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If it’s true that you can attract more bees with honey, then can you attract more tourists with… aliens? That’s the crux of a controversy in the state of New Mexico right now, where they are considering the further release of a round of ads starring aliens to ratchet up tourism to the Land of Enchantment. No doubt, there’s an interest out there for UFOs and other unexplained mysteries--just ask Dennis Kucinich and Shirley MacLaine.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member jurko.

A few years ago, a Chilean mayor dubbed the region of Maipo River an “official UFO tourism zone” due to a rash of sightings reported by a wide range of visitors. In Nevada, there’s an “Extraterrestrial Highway,” so named for its proximity to the ever-enigmatic Area 51. According to Jaunted.com, aliens recently lit fires in Sicily, and have been making frequent appearances in Australia’s Queensland region.

Despite these UFO tourism-related precedents, some New Mexico state officials are worried that the aliens, umm, might not be such an enticement after all. In fact, they’re worried they might scare otherwise potential tourists away. You can decide for yourself by watching the ad here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=WyZGwhZceKA.

I learned about all this while researching a New Mexico getaway that I’d like to take next month. I’ve never