12.31.2009

Crystal Balling for 2010

What can we expect for the travel world in 2010? More airline debacles? The death of business travel? Super cheap package deals for budget-minded travelers? Check out the forecast from USA Today right here.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2009-12-30-trend-predictions_N.htm

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12.23.2009

Holidays in New York City

Land, Air, and See is heading to New York City for the Holidays! When I was growing up, it felt like the world ceased to rotate on Christmas. Grocery stores, gas stations, and hospitals (?) all boarded up their doors and windows at 5 p.m. on December 24th and didn't open back up until December 26th. If you celebrated Christmas, you were too busy to notice that nothing was open. If however, you did not celebrate Christmas (like yours truly), preparing for December 25th was like gearing up for an impending natural disaster. You stocked up on enough movies, board games, and food to ride out the perfect storm of joyful gift giving and merriment that was certain to bring your town to a grinding halt.

It's not really like that anymore. Even in the smallest of towns you are sure to find a greasy spoon diner, 24 hour gas station, or Chinese restaurant that keeps the torch of commerce burning on Christmas Day. But we aren't taking any chances this year. We're heading to the city that never sleeps, even on Christmas. We've been to New York plenty of times but this will be the first time we've gone on Christmas. The knee-jerk reaction to traveling on Christmas is, "Will anything be open? Will there be enough to do?" If you google "things to do In New York City on Christmas," you'll get lists like this one from LoveToEatAndTravel.com:

1. "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" - Best Holiday Show in NYC
2. "Top of the Rock" Observation Deck 70th Floor at Rockefeller Plaza
3. New York City "Holiday Lights" Tour
4. Ice-Skating at Rockefeller Center
5. Horse-Drawn Carriage ride through Central Park
6. Manhattan Island Cruise
7. New York City "Hop-On Hop-Off" Double-Decker Bus Tour
8. Empire State Building Observatory
9. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
10. Museum of Modern Art or American Museum of Natural History

Not too shabby but not daringly original either. The web is full of similar lists. When we get back, well do a FIVES on what we think are the best things to do in New York City on the Holidays - Land, Air, and See style.

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12.11.2009

"I Miss the Earth So Much, I Miss My Wife..."

"I'm a rocket maaaaa-aaaa-aaaaa-aannn." And you could be one too, for a cool $200,000.00. Meet the Virgin Galactic Spaceship...


Climb to 50,000 feet, travel at three times the speed of sound, experience the silence of space, view the earth as a big blue map, and float in zero gravity.



Check out more at Virgin Galactic's official website.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/

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12.04.2009

Travel on the Cheap

"I would travel more often but it's just so darn expensive."

If you have heard, or have uttered those words, think again. Authentic Thai food, in Thailand, for $1. Beachside bungalows for $5 per night. The gang at Deck Chair suggest four exotic locations for the thrifty traveler. Check out the article here.

http://www.deckchair.com/top-4-sub-1000-per-month-travel-destinations/

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12.02.2009

The Plane Rides From Hell and How to Make the Best of Them

I have had some fairly unpleasant experiences with airplanes. Getting stuck on the runway for what feels like days. Nose dive bouncy landings on sketchy regional jets. Luggage that, unbeknownst to me, had it's own plans to visit Mexico while I'm visiting Las Vegas. Bombastic Bollywood films played at full volume on an Air India red eye. The list goes on and surely, you have your own list too. But the most reoccuring airline irritant has, for me, always been disruptions from other passengers. The loud family with the loud little children who, to be properly settled and behaved, need to play with really loud musical toys that when shaken, replicate the sound of a fire engine crashing in to a buildling full of small, silver bells. Or how about being seated next to the morbidly obese, extremely sweaty guy who should (can we be honest without getting upset?) have purchased two seats. Or maybe sharing a row with the lady with the flu who can't stop coughing and sneezing and who also has a frightened poodle in bag stuffed under her seat.

If you can relate to my frustration, then you may enjoy this article from SmarterTravel.com. It might help you become a better person in potentially annoying airline situations.

http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice/the-best-ways-to-deal-with-annoying-seatmates.html?id=3868027

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