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I’m always hearing the China Business Network’s Christine Lu on Twitter going on about picking up her favorite Jasmine Boba Tea. While we were in Shanghai together on the China 2.0 Tour, she took me to the chain place that offers her favorite version of the drink. The drink/light food restaurant rbt (”real brewed tea”) has a little green rabbit as a mascot and modern green decor (plus a couple of swings to hang out in.) Its menu features a variety of tea-based drinks that I enjoyed and that I think would appeal to kids. rbt brings Taiwanese-style tea drinks to much of…

Well, hurray for success the second time around…. Last year, I sent in a proposal for a travel blogging panel at SXSWi (the South by Southwest Interactive tech/online media conference) here in Austin, Texas, but it was not selected. I only pouted for about a week, really. Always bull-headed, I tried again this year and re-submitted my proposal, since I figured that it was a good idea that deserved another try. The conference organizers apparently agreed; I just got an email telling me that Blog Highways: Travel Blogging for the Wanderer is on the docket for the next SXSWi, to be held in…

During the China 2.0 Tour, our blogger gaggle took the “soft sleeper” overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai, China. We left at about 7:30 pm at night from Beijing and arrived Shanghai at 7 am. In China, perfect strangers share four-person compartments (both men and women together) but we re-jiggered compartment assignments as much as we could to have at least a few of our 2.0 Tour bloggers in the same compartment. I shared with two very nice Chinese passengers and the ever-buoyant and enjoyable David Feng. We had dinner aboard the train and I slept like the proverbial log.

You know what drives travel bloggers crazy? We don’t have time to blog when we travel. I mean, we do only if we don’t sleep. Sure, just gather info all day, take notes, shoot video, shoot photos, then spend all night drafting blog posts, uploading/grooming/tagging video, uploading/grooming/tagging photos and launching all of that info out into the blogosphere. Just add a lot of Red Bull to your life, right? I’ve been here in China (on the China 2.0 Tour) since November 9, in both Beijing and Shanghai, and have oodles of material for the Family Travel blog and other…

After a long flight to Beijing for the China 2.0 Tour, I went with a group of our “old China hands” to find a foot massage/reflexology place as a way to attack everyone’s jet lag. We ended up in a three-story foot emporium, a chain business in China, called Liangzi. We split up into groups of three. Elliott Ng of travel search site UpTake, Ernst-Jan Pfauth the Dutch ProBlogger and I went into a nice, comfy small room where each of us had a foot masseuse work the living daylights out of our feet and legs for about the next hour and a half. Heavenly. Elliott speaks some…

Some of Yosemite National Park’s popular Curry Village accommodations will close for good due to an unstable cliff, announced National Park Service officials earlier today. See Associated Press article, “Rock threat danger closes part of Yosemite lodging.” Yosemite, with more than 3 million visitors annually, is no stranger to sketchy cliffs: 14 people have died in more [...]

When the concept of a “staycation” hit the travel world a while back, not everybody was on board. After all, how could a trip where you don’t actually go anywhere measure up to a venture abroad, or at least out of Dodge? As much as I toss around that “staycate” word in jest occasionally, I’ve become a [...]

On this day in 1898, Surrealist painter Rene Magritté was born in Belgium (he died in 1967). Start your day with a good dose of culture with a browse through some of his works at the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA) online. Or better yet, take some time to visit the museum in [...]

Baz Luhrmann’s World War II-era epic “Australia,” starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, won’t hit theaters until next week. But you can book face time with the film’s real star: the country’s ravishing, rugged East Kimberley region. Just make sure you see the real thing. The tourism industry in Australia, banking on the biggest boost since [...]

OK, readers. Here’s your chance to rise above the cheap culture of Hollywood, the rampant materialism, the violence, the cleavage that looks like molded plastic. Instead, we’re here to have a grown-up conversation about Legoland and — molded plastic that looks like cleavage. A couple of weeks ago, as outlined in “Legoland’s own small world,” I [...]

The Sandals Regency La Toc on St. Lucia. If you're looking to get away for Christmas but haven't made plans yet, you're in luck. Thanks to the troubled economy, a surprising number of rooms in warm-weather locales are still available...

You could pay $340 for a room at the Hyatt Regency Maui . . . or you could get it through Priceline for $130. With so many empty hotels aching to fill rooms these days, Priceline's opaque bidding tool can...

The Seven Seas Mariner in Alaska. The cruise deals just keep getting better (thank you, economic meltdown). Most of them have a book-before-the-end-of-the-year deadline, though, which is why I've been hesitant to publicize them here: I happen to believe the...

Warning to American Express cardholders: Starting Jan 1, 2009, the fee you'll be charged when you buy something in a foreign currency will be 2.7% (rather than the 2% it's been for years). As a reminder, the way to avoid...

Grand Central Terminal's Kaleidoscope Light Show is one of my kids' favorite holiday must-sees. Each day this month the delightful family travel site We Just Got Back is highlighting advice from a different travel-blogging parent in a different part of...

"Russia begins oligarch bailout," announced the Kyiv Post in a recent headline. But while some analysts predicted that "the power-hoarding era of the Russian oligarchs is approaching its end," others dismissed the notion as "wishful thinking."

Some of our favorite shows are set in US cities well worth exploring, and you won't have to sell vital organs to afford the travel. Here's a rundown of the best options right now:

"Morning banana" is not, repeat, not, the masculine for "Hello Kitty." Behold, the 60 most popular Japanese words and phrases of the year. Coming to a Nordic country near you: Bunny show jumping. Missed your train? If you're stuck in Grand Central consider yourself lucky. Itching to fly on an Emirates A380? This person documents every last second down to the lavatory lines. Worth the download time! Photos galore.

"Naturally, the police beat the hell out of us, but that's not the point, my boy!" shouts John Bok across the bar in his Prague neighborhood of Karlin.

Senior Coconut is actually a Frankfurt DJ named Uwe Schmidt, a.k.a. Atom Heart, who now lives and produces his cult-ish Latin wackiness in Santiago, Chile.

Mark Garbers of Love Camping gives us some guidelines about wild camping in the UK. “There’s nothing quite like wild camping for the true “back to nature” experience. When done properly it’s a very environmentally friendly way to see some truly wonderfully hidden areas of the UK countryside. However, as with anything, there are always a few guidelines to be followed, even in this most unstructured type of holiday:- Leave the site in the same (or better) condition as you found it This is the golden rule of wild camping. Pay special care to areas where you may have had a campfire…

It’s that time of year again – Christmas markets, festivals, and events are gearing up all over Europe.I simply love them – steaming mugs of mulled wine, twinkling lights brightening up the dark nights, hot food stalls, rosy cheeks and big smiles… it’s the one of the best things about winter! One of my favourite places to enjoy Christmas is in Cologne, Germany.Not only is it a wonderful city the rest of the year – with good restaurants, an excellent modern art museum, the impressive cathedral to mention a few things – but the city goes all out for Christmas. Cologne - the Dom…

Last week, at the World Travel Market in London, I found myself wandering through the European stands and played a little game with myself. I decided to visit the stand of the country I felt least likely to visit next year and see if they could change my mind. Albania was top of the list, as I had a picture of a country still recovering from its communist years, with a bleak capital of Tirana blighted by concrete architecture. I knew from my sister who lives in neighbouring Greece that there were many Albanian economic migrants who had moved to Greece in search of a better standard of living,…

I know some people aren’t really into visiting art galleries when they travel, but I have to say that everyone should make an exception for The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. It’s not only a Russian icon but it’s also a truly breathtaking place to stroll around - whether art interests you or not, even just the buildings that house all the art are fascinating. Okay, enough of the lyrical adjectives, this is the plain truth: the Hermitage is stuffed full of paintings, sculptures and other works of art and every guide book likes to cite some statistic on how many lifetimes…

In conjunction with Mapsinternational.co.uk Europe a la Carte is offering you the chance to win a giant political global wall map worth £30:99. To win the map, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post saying why you’d like to win the giant wall map. I’ll then select the most entertaining answer given by 30th November 2008 and then the map will be winging its way to the lucky winner.

So as we're wrapping up Geography Awareness Week, I thought I'd share what perhaps is the antithesis of the National Geographic MapMachine. It is the very cool website called the Hand Drawn Map Association, which I came across via our friend Anne over at Prêt à Voyager. The site is the brainchild of Kris Harzinski, and it's a delightfully simple repository of people's sketched out maps. It recently got a plug on NPR's Here and Now, and in the interview, Harzinski says that he set up the site after coming across a set of maps from within the stacks of his old papers, and that each one evoked…

Photographer Alexandra Avakian rides a UN vehicle through Lebanon in 2005. By Hassan Siklawi. If you're looking for a fantastic female role model, you may want to add Alexandra Avakian to your list. At the age of 9, she decided that she wanted to grow up to be a National Geographic photographer. She's now been shooting for the magazine for over 13 years, and has covered some of the more violent and important stories of our time, dodging bullets in Somalia, enduring beatings by Hamas, and getting unprecedented access to Yasser Arafat while accompanying him on his travels. Her new book, Windows…

Listen up, Franco-Canada-philes. Montreal, the first urban center in the world to sign National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations' Geotourism Charter, is now accepting nominations for CSD's next MapGuide endeavor. Now through January 15, the general public is encouraged to participate in creating the Montreal MapGuide, which is set to launch in spring 2009.  MapGuides, poster-sized maps chock full of suggestions that define a sense of place, aim to highlight "sustainable tourism choices to international and domestic tourists."  Categories include culture and…

Welcome Back from ImprovEverywhere on Vimeo Shouldn't everyone get this kind of greeting at the airport? The happy pranksters at Improv Everywhere, dedicated to causing "scenes of chaos and joy in public places" such as the memorable and large-scale Grand Central Freeze, organized another travel-themed mission recently, this time at JFK airport. Twenty Improv Everywhere volunteers (aka "agents") showed up at the International Arrivals terminal with posterboard, markers, balloons, bouquets of flowers, and a giant "Welcome Back" banner, and prepared to welcome a random stranger back to the USA.

Jim Conaway's feature in this month's issue, "Is Baja on the Block?" looks at how the spread of tourism and development is threatening the integrity of Baja California in Mexico. Here, he introduces some of the people trying to help sustain the marine heritage of the region. Peter Patterson looks more like an American teenager in designer sunglasses and a blue Coastkeeper T-shirt than a 27-year-old Mexican biology student holding a battery-powered device for measuring the temperature, oxygen content, and salinity of water. A wire dangles from it into the Bay of La Paz. Until recently, the…

As you can imagine here at Travel Rants there’s not a day that goes by without receiving a holiday complaint. The majority of consumer complaints are through frustration at not being able to interact with the company concerned. Here are the five popular travel consumer complaints received by Travel Rants in the past 12 months. Airlines [...]

Recently, Darren wrote a great article about why holidays need to be made more educational for children. As a mum, who frequently travels with her two young kids, I thought it would fun to contribute my favourite ways to make family travel more educational without compromising on fun. Eat at a local restaurant Resort restaurants tend [...]

For the last three years I have thought about travelling to the US and it’s never materialised due to the lack of funds. This year I have saved enough to be able to book my flight and hotels for three weeks and I was thinking about booking next week. Financial crisis affecting travel plans Imagine my [...]

It’s approaching that time of the year where I will announce which individuals or companies I think have made a difference in online travel to travel consumers in 2008. Last years posts went down well with readers, but this year I want to involve the Travel Rants community. I will nominate four individuals or companies [...]

Sometimes I wonder if airport staff has any thought for others with their actions. I know accidents happen but you would have thought that when it comes to equipment like wheelchairs that airport staff would be careful when transporting. Last week I received an email from Sybil Wilson, a regular flyer who has travelled all over [...]

Twitter Agony: “STOP SENDING E-MAIL I AM ON A TRAIN” by Jeffrey Zeldman Presents: Ha, would you believe such outcry would help with 11,259 Twitter Followers and getting more e-mail than Santa Claus??Similar Posts: None Found

50 of the best places to stay in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean—thanks to the thousands of Travel + Leisure readers who took our annual poll. And because these spreads are fully loaded—with golf courses and water parks, not to mention Disney character breakfasts—everyone can find their fun. T+L Family 50 | 2008 | Travel + LeisureSimilar Posts: None Found

The number of those who read blogs at least once a month has grown 300% in the past four years, and what they read strongly influences their purchase decisions, playing a key role in ushering them to the point of actual purchase, according to a BuzzLogic-sponsored study, reports Retailer Daily. jupiter-buzzlogic-half-online-population-reads-blogs-october-2008.jpg “Harnessing the Power of Blogs,” a research study of more than 2,000 online consumers in the US, was conducted by JupiterResearch, a Forrester research company. Blogs Influence Consumer Purchases More than Social Networks Similar…

Apparently since the laws changed and children conceived from donated sperm can look up Daddy once they turn 18, locals have gone off the idea. Backpackers figure they won’t be so easy to find in 18 years’ time. One third of sperm donors in Britain are now from abroad, including Australians, South Africans and Colombians. These sperm-donating travelers won’t get rich overnight but $750 for delivering 20, well, loads, is a much better deal than working late nights serving drunks at the pub. Backpackers Make Great Sperm Donors || JauntedSimilar Posts: None Found

A Dutchman and a Belgian started Storytlr The storytlr initiative Storytlr is not a startup, just a fun project that we are building during our free time. We are a two people team, based in Belgium & The Netherlands: eschnou is our PHP Wizard and alardw the CSS Ninja. A few months ago we saw this video from Loic Lemeur who was asking about a way to help him build ‘the centralized me’. We liked the idea because it sounded like reinventing the good old ‘personal page’, realizing that a blog can only capture one angle of what we did online. More over, we felt that…

The most popular travel days in the United States are around the Thanksgiving holiday, hence, those dates in late November are among the most stressful. Nevertheless, we load up our cars, board the trains, or grimly prepare to fly to meet family for Thanksgiving, year after year, horror show of travel experience after horror show of travel experience. Some readers out there are probably familiar with Twittermoms, a fun new site where mamas from across the globe who use Twitter, come together to chat, promote their blogs, and generally have a good Web 2.0 time. We asked members about their…

Who’s ever heard of beach tennis? Yeah, me either - until today. Honestly, I was thinking this sport was more like some sort of stuffy game of croquet-slash-lawn tennis than the combo of tennis and beach volleyball that it is. I was trying to picture how the heck a tennis ball could bounce on the sand. Well, it doesn’t. Beach Tennis Aruba Instead, beach tennis is played with typical tennis racquets - or specially made beach tennis paddles that remind me of those wooden Kadima paddles. And the depressurized tennis ball doesn’t bounce on the sand. You’ve got to keep it…

Our group of visiting journalists left the cushy confines of the Aruba Marriott Resort to explore the island a bit with De Palm Tours and its “Aruba Safari Jeep Adventure,” topped off with lunch at the Balashi Beer Garden. Here, in honor of THursday, are THirteen THings I learned today: In front of the De Palm Tours Land Rover. 1. The bulk of American tourists who visit Aruba every year are from New York and New Jersey. 2. Aruba, less than 20 miles from Venezuela, has a dry climate and its landscape is strewn with cactus (really, parts reminded me of Arizona, not your typical…

As frequent travelers we all dread airport security screening, especially during the holidays when the lines are longer and people who rarely travel are trying to make their way through unfamiliar airports. This year the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) joined forces with the Advertising Council to launch a national public awareness and prepare passengers for security screening. (Yay!) The video series is called “WHY?” and answers the questions: Why do I have to take off my shoes? Why do I have to put my three-ounce liquids in a zip-top plastic bag? Why do I have to…

Congratulations to the following readers who can now Travel Like a Rock Star with Joe’s Jeans and the Traveling Mamas. Check your email on how to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter. There were a lot of you! Be sure to keep checking back at TravelingMamas.com for great travel tips and some fabulous giveaways. Rock Star Kristina Rock Star Cassi Rock Star Adam Rock Star Elizabeth Rock Star Rebecca

(Courtesy Idlewild Books) A smart bookstore just north of Union Square recently became my new go-to spot for all things travel- and literature-related. From the street, the only hint is a huge illuminated globe in Idlewild Bookstore's window, but walk up the stairs and you'll find a selection that caters to exactly what us travelers want. David Del Vecchio opened Idlewild over the summer, and word's definitely spreading around Manhattan. A former United Nations press officer, David named his shop after the original name for New York International Airport, which, in 1963, was renamed JFK. The…

The National Museum of American History reopened today after a two-year, $85 million renovation. In a noteworthy move, Barack Obama has already been added to the Presidential Gallery prior to his inauguration. [+] Enlarge imageArtist's rendering of the interior of the redesigned museum (Courtesy Smithsonian's National Museum of American History)As part of the opening festivities, former Secretary of State Colin Powell read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address this morning, and President Bush led a re-dedication ceremony on Wednesday. Responding in part to a critical review of its organization in a…

The first consumer satisfaction survey of privately-owned campgrounds was released this week. Nearly 13,000 camping and RV enthusiasts participated in the online survey. Roughly half the nation's parks were included in the survey, but these were only parks and RV resorts affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds were included,—not state or federal parks. Results are at gocampingamerica.com, where you can post your own reviews, too.

A visit to New York—one of the most expensive cities in the country—might not seem wise in the current economic climate, but maybe this will help: We know of a hotel where you can pay less than $100 per night. Are the rooms big and plush? Well, no. They're tiny, and most guests share a communal bathroom. But they're stylish, clean, and have more high-tech amenities than some hotels that cost three times as much. [+] Enlarge photo(Courtesy The Jane Hotel)The Jane Hotel The West Village location is a whole lot cooler than midtown, where most of the city's hotels are, and the newly…

(Courtesy Sean O'Neill) Some of Europe's greatest contributions to art and architecture have been in its churches. But Europeans are donating less and less money to churches. So there's less money on hand to maintain these gorgeous buildings. [+] Enlarge photoThe organ at Grote Kerk (Courtesy Sean O'Neill)This trend really hit home for me during a summer visit to Haarlem, a town in the Netherlands. I dropped by the Grote Kerk (or Sint Bavokerk), a Protestant church. Its Gothic buttresses inspire passersby to look upward. Its organ (shown here) has an astonishingly rich sound despite being…

I made it to Hoi An. The word which best describes it is…..wetter. It has been raining even more here and the surrounding area looks flooded, which is to say the rivers are high and the water in rice paddies seems to be overflowing. My bus ride from Nha Trang turned out to be 14 hours instead of 12. I didn’t get the sleeper bus which isn’t really a bad thing. I had more room to spread out on the normal bus and wasn’t crammed into a bed type compartment which was designed for someone smaller than myself. I spent yesterday sleeping and walking around Hoi An, because I…

Fish in the Great Barrire Reef, Australia Originally posted on Everything-Everywhere.com. Follow me as I travel around the world.

Skulls in the victim memorial pagoda One of the things which has made up a major part of my life has been academic debate. I was on the debate team in high school, in college and coached high school for three years after I graduated. During that time I read volumes about almost every subject you can imagine. In debate, you are forced to take both sides of an issue. You can become very detached about the subjects you research, and in all the years I was involved in debate there was really only one subject that really influenced me on a personal level. That was the genocide in Cambodia. My…

I’m off to Hoi An tonight on a 12-hour overnight bus ride. I am not looking forward to it. The buses are sleeper busses, which means you have a sort of bed instead of a seat. That sounds great for an overnight trip, but it really isn’t. The beds are uncomfortable and you are more inclined than lying flat. It has been raining almost the entire time I’ve been here. The last few days I have been totally lazy. I’ve been on an anti-vacation. When you travel for a living, an anti-vacation is when you stay in your room, do nothing, and watch TV. Oh yes, and the World of…

Decades of violence and conflict have uprooted thousands of people in East Timor. This is a refugee camp in the middle of a park in the capital, Dili. Originally posted on Everything-Everywhere.com. Follow me as I travel around the world.

© kian1 Original post © Vagabondish.com. All rights reserved. Photo of the Moment: Out of the Rain, Iran

© nolifebeforecoffee Banksy strikes again. Original post © Vagabondish.com. All rights reserved. Signspotting: What Are You Looking At?, London

When I first started traveling a lot, there were so many things I didn’t know about the world and how it was put together: what the heck a Gothic church was (I just knew goths wore black), how you should eat sashimi or, since I grew up in Australia, much at all about US presidents. Eventually, traveling taught me a lot about these things (and many more), but I know I could have got a lot more out of my trips if I’d given myself a few crash courses first. That’s why I’ve put together this guide on the most useful areas to learn about before your next trip. It depends…

© diongillard Original post © Vagabondish.com. All rights reserved. Photo of the Moment: Shark’s Eye View, Queensland

Murphy’s First Law of Travel: No matter how many rooms there are in the motel, the fellow who starts up his car at five o’clock in the morning is always parked under your window. Can I just say for the record that Mr. Murphy must have not traveled extensively if this is all he could come up with? As anyone who has ever traveled long (or short) haul knows, that does not even begin to describe it. Zombie Flight Attendant © huong-lan Here, the extended version of Mr. Murphy’s law(s) of air travel: The loudest, most obnoxious (and often smelliest) person will be seated next…

The Amateur Traveler talks to Beth Whitman, author of Wanderlust and Lipstick for Women Traveling to India, about the joys and challenges of traveling to India, especially solo travel as a woman. Learn what iconic image Beth has in her house, how she can go to the sub-continent with only the clothes on her back and how to fall in love with India. > click here to download (mp3) click here to download (iTunes enhanced) News Travel News - Blinded Pilot Lands Safely, Bus Hijacked to Disney, Ducked Taped Passenger Pilot blinded by stroke is guided safely to ground Bus driver taken hostage at…

Visit Costa Rica with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows an eco tour traveling by bus, train and boat to the rain forrest north of Puerto Limon on the Caribbean coast. It was part of a longer cruise I talked about on the Amateur Traveler Episode 113 - Theme Cruise to Panama (Shakespeare at Sea / MacMania). Show Notes click here to download (m4v) click here to download (Apple TV)

The Amateur Traveler talks to Richard Miller of the SparkleTack podcast (about San Francisco history) about San Francisco. Richard guides us in a driving/walking tour from west to east. We start at lands end and end up near fisherman’s wharf while talking about the sites and history of many of the places in between. This is a great companion episode with the 2 part soundseeing walking tour of San Francisco. News Travel News - Germany Rejects Scanners, UNESCO list grows, Travel Trends Germany rejects full-body scanners at airports UNESCO adds 27 new sites World Heritage List TripAdvisor…

The Amateur Traveler talks to Alex Lindsay about his adventures in Zimbabwe. Alex has been traveling to Zimbabwe twice a year for a number of years where he has built friendships with the people there including some notable artists and musicians. Alex talks about the struggles of life in Zimbabwe and the beauty of the country and the people. News Travel News - Drunk Pilots, Smiling Parisians, Amtrak Discounts, Iceland for Sale on eBay ‘Drunk’ United Airlines pilot arrested at London airport Smiling Parisians show you their city, for free Amtrak offers discount pass to U.S. residents Show…

The Amateur Traveler talks to Rachel about Seoul, South Korea. Rachel is a college student from Hong Kong who studied in Seoul for the Summer. She talks about historic palaces, museums, customs and shopping in this city that she describes as a “kaleidoscope.” News Travel News - TSA Targets The Anxious, Ryanair Not Content to Be Hated just in Great Britain TSA tests scanners to measure anxiety Ryanair voted least favourite airline for third year running Ryanair boss sets sights on no-frills transatlantic flights with new airline Passenger to pay for airline noise Show Notes click…

Next time you catch a cold on a long flight, think about Standard 161-2007. It's a proposed minimum rule for air quality aboard commercial airlines. A rule the airline industry, which reflexively opposes any kind of regulation, is no doubt fighting with every lobbyist it can afford.

Lessons learned from past holiday meltdowns, unsung heroes, bait-and-switch hotels, and more.

This might be one reason why Austrian Airlines is in so much trouble. Then again, it might be why the beleaguered carrier hasn't folded any sooner. A passenger who bit into a brownie and broke a cap on her tooth on a flight from Washington to Vienna, has been reimbursed by the airline to the tune of $1,462.

Here's an inspiring story about a ticket agent going far above and beyond the call of duty to help American soldiers in need. It came to me by way of Sgt. Ron Hutchins, who was traveling to Germany with nine other servicemembers from the 912th Adjutant General Postal Company in Tallahassee, Fla.

Here's another story from the bait-and-switch files. Stacey Blakemore booked a $29 room at the Days Inn and Suites in Auburn, Ala., through Travelocity. But she ended up being charged $180 a night. Find out what happened next.

See our slideshow of Caribbean Hotels Under $150. When is a vacation not a vacation? When you can’t relax because you’re worried about spending money. The current economic crisis is forcing many to be financially creative, and that includes travelers, many of whom are researching destinations, boning up on travel tips, and scouring the Internet for deals like never before. Think you can’t afford a winter getaway this year? Think again. The slowing global economy has a …

See our slideshow of the World’s Top Aerial Tours. The hum of the single-engine Cessna fills your ears as you ascend above the Peruvian high desert. Below you, flat expanses of dry, brown earth extend in every direction, punctuated only by twisting dry riverbeds…a lifeless landscape. Then the plane banks, and over the intercom the pilot directs you to look at what appear to be just another set of curving, squiggly lines. But then, as you watch, the lines start to come to life, to …

See our slideshow of the 10 Best New Hotels. As if the holidays weren’t filled with enough choices (Which cookie recipes to try? What to wear on New Year’s Eve?), a new crop of hotels that’s sprung up like gifts under a Christmas tree has suddenly made vacation planning a lot harder. In a good way. These new properties run the gamut—from over-the-top to affordable, from boutique to gargantuan. And they’re set in some of the world’s most spectacular locales …

It’s a strange time in travel—I should know, having spent the past two weeks circumnavigating the globe. Hong Kong was the first stop on my recent seven-day trip to Asia, followed by Singapore, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai. Then, three days after returning to New York, I took the Acela up to Boston for a meeting of Travel + Leisure ’s Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB), a group of 16 super-agents who account for a mind-boggling proportion of U.S. leisure and business travel …

See our slideshow of the World’s Strangest Sports. It takes nerves of steel to ride India ’s Wall of Death. In fact, it takes gumption just to watch cars and motorcycles swirling on the walls of a 30-foot diameter, near-vertical barrel. For the drivers, it’s a chance at fame and fortune—this sport carries a huge amount of status in places like Srinagar, Kashmir, where career opportunities are few and far between. So when the chance arises, drivers rev their vehicles, …

Yapta, the online service that tracks airfares for you after you buy (so you can try to get reticketed with a refund or voucher), has rolled out a new feature: Tracking award availability for frequent flyer miles. I like this idea. It’s a great start. Right now, Yapta supports Alaska, Continental, Delta, US Airways, and United frequent flyer programs. You search for a trip, as if to purchase it. Then, you choose to track the airfare, and you tick a box to include award tickets in your tracking. You’ll get updates thereafter. I don’t like that setup, with the requirement that…

Downgraded: Air Marshals In a series of sting operations, several air marshals who were supposed to be protecting passengers inflight were using their free pass in American airports to smuggle cocaine, drug money, and child pornography. Lovely. My favorite part of this story: One marshal called himself “the Man with the Golden Badge.” Racy! Paging Roger Moore to take this guy out! Heck, paging Hervé Villechaize! Upgraded: L’Avion lounge When Tyler Colman reviewed the all-business class airline L’Avion for us last year, he commented on their lack of a real lounge at…

While the mileage game isn’t as fun as it used to be, there’s something to be said for a boatload of miles, with relatively few strings attached. Two offers of to note for those looking for a fairly quick juicing of the mileage accounts: 1) 40K United Mileage Plus miles Chase is rolling out another fat bonus with their Mileage Plus Visa: 40,000 total bonus miles, but you don’t get them in one shot. 20,000 up front, and more as you spend, and after one year: 20,000 bonus miles after first purchase 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary 10,000 bonus miles after…

Reader David writes in: Did I miss the memo or is this old news? As plat elite on CO I got an email yesterday on my blackberry alerting me that I was upgraded on my IAH-LGA flight today. I didn’t read the details, but an upgrade to First is always welcome. Upon check in, and re-examination of the email, I was “upgraded” to the exit row! It’s nice but it’s not a real upgrade, is it? How long have they been sending these “upgrade” emails out? News to me! It’s the first I’ve heard of this, but if readers have had similar experiences, I invite…

This is genuinely a cool concept: Postcards are sort of old-fashioned, but there’s still something satisfying about getting someone’s written word from the road. A big problem is that many postcards just plain suck. They’re boring. The same photo you’ve seen a thousand times. Enter a new site, HazelMail, which lets you upload an image of your choice, type in your message, and hit send. HazelMail prints it as a postcard, pays the postage, and mails it anywhere in the world for the flat rate of $1.50. Sure, it won’t contain your scrawls or a cool stamp from a…

It’s not far fetched to believe its only a matter of time until we start to see a few Barack Obama tours pop up on Oahu. In fact, I’d bet they are being planned and launched as I write this post. Afterall, the President-elect was born and raised right here in Honolulu and being the first Hawaii-born person to ascend to The White House is a big deal for the proud locals here. Obama bodysurfing at Sandy Beach during his recent vacation to Oahu in August. Photo credit: Associated Press But until that happens, you should know it’s already possible to explore Obama’s old…

That’s right. Wyland, the marine life artist himself and namesake of The Wyland Waikiki, will be at the hotel tomorrow night (Thursday, November 20) showcasing his latest works and celebrating the opening of his new Wyland Studio Store located on the lobby level! Everyone is invited to come down and join us for a good time from 7 to 9 p.m. hanging out with Wyland and enjoying libations from the Wy Bar, which I understand is turning into one of the hot places in Honolulu where people love to be seen. Cool! If for some reason you can’t make it tomorrow night, Wyland will be doing a…

I’ve got some exciting news to share! The Wyland Waikiki has launched a new Facebook Fan Page and we invite you to join us online to keep up with the fun and excitement going on at Hawaii’s only art design hotel. As most of you know, Facebook is a social networking site that lets you keep up with friends, share photos, links and videos, and learn more about the people you meet. If you’ve stayed at the hotel, are planning to, or just love Wyland and Hawaii, be a fan on Facebook. In addition to my blog, we’ll be offering exclusive rates/specials, periodic fan giveaways,…

I recently received a comment on my blog from a future guest who wanted some ideas on romantic things to do while here with her fiance. This got me thinking what a great topic to write about. Afterall, there’s no question in my mind that Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on the planet with its natural tropical beauty, picturesque sunsets, golden white sand beaches, warm weather, and fragrant flowers. So here we go. You saw it here first. I share with you Robin Graf’s list of romantic things to do on Oahu. Romantic Dinner - Finding a beautiful ocean side restaurant to have…

Imagine a young boy who previously suffered from a learning disability and dyslexia growing up to be one of the most successful investment bankers in America. Then imagine that same man giving up his financial career to become one of the most renowned artists of his time. Sounds like a fantasy story right? Spar Street's artwork is intended to reignite your own sense of pure inspiration. Photo Credit: SparStreet.com Not if you’re Maui artist Spar Street. This is the very abridged biography of a man known for creating transformative experiences through art and possessing endless…

Also known as Tahiti

One of the most enduring images people have of Japan is the riot of multicolored neon light that illuminates major city centers with a vibrant nighttime glow. What looks like a gaudy collection of signs during daylight hours at night turns into a veritable forest of glowing signage.

Mazes and labyrinths are more part and parcel of our culture than people realise. Their roots can be traced back to Greek mythology and Paganism, where they were regarded as mystical. It wasn’t until a few hundred years ago that mazes were designed for fun (sadists), and often became a perfect meeting place for secret lovers and cunning planners.

Dubai formally inaugurated the $1.5 billion Atlantis, The Palm Resort. The highlight of the night was a spectacular fireworks display. The guest list included some of the biggest stars in the work including Kylie Minogue (who gave a concert), Robert Di Niro, Lindsay Lohan and her girlfriend Samantha ronson (who DJ'ed) ... and even Wesley Snipes!

What in the world could cause an entire city to be abandoned? Some become unlivable due to environmental disasters such as nuclear meltdowns. Others become the center of military activity and remain contested and uninhabited - or are simply left as memorials to the terrible events that took place in them....

Altamira: Sistine Chapel of Prehistoric Art!November 11, 2008 How many people, let alone home school kids, get to visit both Altamiraand Lascaux prehistoric caves to have How many people, let alone homeschool kids, get to visit both Altamira and Lascaux prehistoric caves  to have a deeper understanding of art and prehistoric man? We placed them close together on our summer tour with ultra modern Guggenheim in Balboa in between! Mozart proudly has a pin for each (as that seems to be the small souvenir collection quest this year). The stupendous cave art  is a stunning sight for…

The Traveling Office!October 27, 2008 Sometimes glorious like at a beach or pool and sometimes hardy, like perchedon a door ledge on a busy street, but a Sometimes glorious like at a beach or pool and sometimes hardy, like perched on a door ledge on a busy street, but a mobile office is almost always interesting!  We have become masters at finding wifi and setting up our office on the go in every kind of place on four continents. We haven't caught all of our "office" locations, didn't even think about the oddness of our " 3 laptop family" existence until fairly…

More Santillana Del MarOctober 17, 2008 It is soon obvious why this entire townis a national monument, where not a stone can be moved. It is the perfect It is soon obvious why this entire town is a national monument, where not a stone can be moved.  It is the perfect size to walk around in and every corner has something delicious for the eyes to see, not to mention lots of tempting food choices. I got a kick out of the fact that they had lots of "designer" beans in fancy packages to sell, since we love them. Mozart had fun running from one store to another, watching the horses…

Sublime Santillana Del MarOctober 16, 2008 You never know when you hear highpraise for a place, whether it willmeet your expectations or if your You never know when you hear high praise for a place, whether it will meet your expectations or if your imagination is stronger than the best pictures and words you've researched, leaving you a little let down,  when you finally walk the land yourself. Santillana del Mar easily surpassed our highest expectations! "A medieval town arrested in time, a treasure without equal in Spain, Santillana del Mar is just minutes from Altamar, and I…

Lucky Luarca, Austrias?October 7, 2008 It is a good thing Luarca, Spain wasgorgeous, because getting there wasa nightmare! Perhaps we stayed a It is a good thing Luarca, Spain was  gorgeous, because getting there was a nightmare! Perhaps we stayed a tad too long enjoying our splurge seafood lunch in Cedeira, because it was dark by the time we reached Luarca. We had driven westward out of Galicia into lush Austrias which is visited even less than Galicia and is a very verdant part of "Green Spain". As the sun started to go down, I suggested to DaVinci, that perhaps we should…

It’s been a busy week with a lot of really long posts, so I figured I’d end on a lighter note. Once I left Indiana, I crossed the Ohio and met up with US-60. I decided to stick with that road all the way to Phoenix, and it truly was an incredible drive. I did, however, stray a couple of times. Once I found that the Parachute Inn in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas was a mere hour off US-60, I decided I had to do it. (Thanks for the recommendation, Brian.) So what’s so special about the Parachute Inn? Take a look for yourself: That’s right. They took a Southwest 737-200 fuselage…

It’s been a long but interesting few days here at PhoCusWright. Mostly, I’m here to meet with people and learn more about their companies, so I haven’t been attending too many of the sessions. That being said, there was one presentation I absolutely had to attend: “Customer Experience and Flying: Not an Oxymoron.” Oh yeah, and this was presented by United. I figured it would get ugly, and I was right. Tim Simonds, Managing Director, Customer Strategy and Metrics, first gave a presentation that was entirely focused on the premium experience that United is trying…

Back at the Southwest Halloween contest last month, the planning group had us try to guess what the next Southwest city would be. Holly Hegeman of PlaneBusiness put down three letters - LGA. It appears that she was right. Southwest is trying to put together a deal that would secure slots at New York’s LaGuardia airport. Meanwhile, Virgin America is saying that it can’t get gates at O’Hare even though the airline already said it would be flying there. Sounds like one airline is far more determined to grow than the other. Let’s start with Southwest. The airline has put a…

For years, Alaska has been the slut of the industry, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. The airline has set up codesharing and/or frequent flier agreements with just about everyone without committing to a single partner and that has been a solid strategy for them. Yesterday, Alaska and Delta announced that they would getting even closer, and though many will say this is the end of the “slut” strategy, in my eyes this is just an extension of the existing Northwest partnership. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll bet that Delta would love to have Alaska alone in the Delta…

Just a heads up for those who are interested. I’m at the PhoCusWright conference here in LA this week. Most of my coverage will be over on BNET, but I may put a post or two in here if I find some interesting bits. If you’re in town for the show, come on by and find me.

It’s no longer prohibitively expensive to make or receive international calls on your cell phone. There are several companies out there now that make it cheaper. Here’s how it works…. To start, you need a phone that has Internet access, like a smartphone, a BlackBerry or a Treo. Then there’s a company called Truphone that uses Wi-Fi, not broadband to connect your call. MaxRoam is designed for travelers, so people can call you for a few cents a minute, rather than you making an expensive call to the U.S. The trick to this company is that when you sign up online, you get a local…

Where would you go if you had a machine that could transport you anywhere you want? Would you go to New York? Hawaii? Texas? Or, imagine, being able to be magically whisked away to … Delaware. You might write home and say, “Hi, I’m in Delaware.” Wayne’s World jokes aside, Vice President-elect Joe Biden has seemed to focus more attention on Delaware than it’s had in awhile. So after having shown you Sarah Palin’s Alaska, it’s time to take a look at Joe Biden’s Delaware. Amtrak from Washington, D.C. to Wilmington One big part of Joe Biden’s…

The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal in a case that says airlines cannot charge plus-sized passengers who require an extra seat or travelers with accessibility problems who require an attendant. The move means that airlines will now be forced to comply with a Canadian Transportation Agency policy that says that airlines can’t penalize people who need an extra seat by charging them two fares. The two categories of passengers covered by the policy include those who are “functionally disabled by obesity” and need an extra seat, as well as people with other disabilities…

November 22, 2008 Peter’s broadcasting from The Fontainebleau Miami Beach Resort in Miami Beach, Florida. Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio is bigger and better than ever, with three hours of travel news you can use, and of course, he’ll solve your problems live on the air! Just call 888-88-PETER or email him at Peter@PeterGreenberg.com. Hour 1 Wall Street Journal reporter and “Middle Seat” columnist Scott McCartney will share his wish list of how President-elect Obama should deal with America’s transportation issues. Fontainebleau COO Howard C. Karawan shares the rich history of…

If you’re like a lot of us, your luggage gets beaten up every time you travel. But instead of throwing out your old luggage, why not put it to good use instead? There’s an organization called Suitcases for Kids that donates bags to foster children. It was started in 1995 by a 10-year-old girl who realized that most foster kids, who move an average of seven times during their childhood, often move with black plastic garbage bags. But you’re not limited to just foster agencies to donate your used luggage - battered women’s shelters, homeless shelters, even the Red Cross need them too.

A travel guide's list of the best places in the world to be entombed includes a New York suburban cemetery for animals.

When the economy was booming, many hotel companies began building new properties. Some of those are opening now, just as demand ...

Hiroshi Nohara is on a layover at the Mexico City airport. It has lasted almost three months, and he has no plans to leave.

Locales used for filming of the teen-phenom vampire film Twilight are thirsting for visitors.

Minneapolis airport chief Jeff Hamiel claims no special knowledge for luring Southwest Airlines to his town, but loads of data ...

Posted by Nancy D. Brown Fellow travel writer and blogger friend Beth Blair recently interviewed me for the Traveling Mamas website.  All four of the Traveling Mamas are wonderful writers. If you haven't visited their website, I think you are in for a treat.  Enough about the Mamas, it's time for my five minutes of fame! Our travel writer and blogger friend Nancy Brown is with us today as our featured Traveling Mama. Nancy lives on the West Coast with her family and writes the “What a Trip” travel column for the Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun and she is a Travel…

Posted by Nancy D. Brown Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day.  Or not.  When you visit Gold Beach on the Oregon coast, you need to have a 'go-with-the-flow' type of attitude.  The owners of Tu Tu Tun Lodge have that type of attitude, and yet, they offer a very professional service and some winter bargains, too. The rainy season has arrived in Gold Beach, Oregon. Some people enjoy the rain. The Rogue River jet boats need the rain as much as the salmon need it to replenish the rivers and streams. I think of the rainy season as a time for bargains and cheap room…

Posted by Nancy D. Brown If you like bargains and you've been thinking about getting away to California's Mendocino coast, have I got a good deal for you. Mendocino's MacCallum House Inn is offering guests 50 percent off on stays from November 1 - February, 2009, but you need to book your room online before November 7, 2008. Here's the review I wrote on the Uptake lodging site. Forget waiting for the government’s bailout package to appear, Mendocino, California’s MacCallum House Inn is the place to turn for financial relief. From October 30 until February 1, 2009, guests of…

Posted by Nancy D. Brown Inn at OccidentalI love the fall and winter in Northern California, particularly the wine country. The out-of-state visitors have returned home, the crowds have thinned and the package deals begin to appear. I wrote about my winter trip to Sonoma's Inn at Occidental on the Uptake Lodging blog. If you are looking for a place to re-charge your batteries, even for twenty four hours, this is a great place to visit. Of course, I recommend several days in this area, as it is so close to the beach, Sebastopol and wineries in the Russian River Valley. When I arrived on a…

Posted by Nancy D. Brown As I walked into our small San Francisco apartment, tired from a weekend business conference, I immediately perked up when I opened the door and spied a dozen red roses proudly displayed on our rickety coffee table.  Every room in the apartment was adorned with fresh flowers.  Well, yes, ours was a one bedroom apartment, but the flowers were a wonderful gesture from my young husband. Fast forward 22 years later and my husband still manages to pull off romantic moments.  Last January I was wisked away to the Napa Valley for a romantic, birthday…

It’s a good bet that somebody timed the Christie’s Punk/Rock auction to coincide with the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in SoHo. The New York Times got a preview of the new museum, and observes it only takes about 90 minutes to see it all . Although the story refers to the $26 ticket price, the museum’s website says the admission rises to $28.18 as of December 2. Meanwhile at Christie’s, for free through the weekend you can see its exhibition of rock goods including a Kurt Cobain guitar, Elvis’ black star sapphire and diamond ring, Hip Hop…

“13” — the first Broadway show to star an all teen-age cast and orchestra — has posted its closing notice for January 4, the show’s producers said today. The musical focuses on 13-year-old Upper West Sider Evan Goldman whose parents divorce, landing him in Indiana where he hopes to fill his Bar Mitzvah with the cool kids at his new school. By the time it closes, it will have played 105 regular and 22 preview performances. “In my entire career I have never seen so much talent in a single company as I have in 13. The joy and enthusiasm of the cast and band is…

It looks like the New York Post is ratcheting up the pressure on the United Nations to do something about its security. Today’s “U.N. Puts City in Danger” reports that the city has been waiting for six months for some sort of U.N. reply to safety questions as well as engineering studies on the “spectrum of effects of various explosion events, from 500 pounds to 5,000 pounds.” Earlier: With 866 safety violations at U.N., school tours halted United Nations called ‘firetrap’ for safety lapses

The Public Theater has launched the official website for the Broadway run of its production of “HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” which will start previews February 13. Opening night is set for March 5. Although casting has not been announced, Playbill reports that due to scheduling conflicts, Jonathan Groff will not be letting the sun shine in this winter. Groff, who was nominated for a Tony for his “Spring Awakening” performance, played Claude in “Hair” for Shakespeare in the Park (where it was free last summer.) Broadway tickets have gone on…

It’s beginning to look a lot like holiday gridlock. NY1 reports that today is the first official holiday gridlock alert and the NYC Department of Transportation is urging everyone to use public transportation. The 2008 Gridlock Alert Days Friday, Nov. 21 Wednesday, Nov. 26 Wednesday, Dec. 3 Friday, Dec. 5 Thursday, Dec. 11 Friday, Dec. 12 Wednesday, Dec. 17 Thursday, Dec. 18 Friday, Dec. 19 Related: City launches 511 for transit, traffic alerts and texts (NY1) The Friday after Thanksgiving is prime time for parking tickets (Daily News)

Jump to the full entry & travel map Bangkok, ThailandOlen nyt Thaimaan puolella. Kambodza jai valitettavasti taakse mutta pysyvasti muistoihin. Siem Reap ei todellakaan ole aitoa Kambodzaa enka viihtynyt siella mitenkaan erityisesti. Vietin vain kaksi yota ja kavin katsomassa maailman suurimman uskonnollisen temppelialueen eli Angkor Watin. Angkor Wat on itseasiassa vain yksi monista temppeleista mutta alue kantaa tata nimea. Temppelit rakennettiin 800-1400 lukujen aikana jolloin Kambodza kukoisti ja hallitsi paljolti nykyisia Laosin ja Myanmarin alueita. Ankgorin valtakunnan aikana talla…

Jump to the full entry & travel map Yosemite National Park, California, United StatesSo from here on in to LA I am roadtripping it - there is some amazing scenery in California and I don't want to miss anything by being in a train, or worse, a plane. I picked up the car from near Pier 39 and drive, terrified back to the hostel to collect my stuff (so tempting to Starsky and Hutch it over the big hills though!) and then terrified again to the nearest Best Buy to purchase a Sat Nav. So needing that. I know that it is cheating a bit, but as I am doing most of this alone, I can't…

Jump to the full entry & travel map Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaSurrounded by red dust, brown and broken trees, I stood transfixed by nature's wonder and all I could do was smile. The fire in the sky began to sink towards the bone dry earth in front of me, exchanging its dazzling white light for a darker, smoldering shine. The distant clouds ceased being soft white puffs in the sky and became the dabs and strokes of pastel shades made by an artist of superior skill. As the blue of the sky turned deeper and darker, so these strokes of light and colour became more glorious. I continued…

Jump to the full entry & travel map Delhi, India        We landed in Delhi after a long and I mean long 14 1/2 hour non stop flight from Chicago in the early evening. During the flight we managed to make friends with a young woman seated next to us. She told us how to sign up for a "pre paid" taxi which would be a faction of the cost of a "normal" taxi or the one the hotel was sending for us. We loaded up our two large backpacks and left the Indian Customs to find this "pre paid" booth. It was a little more that we expected…

Jump to the full entry & travel map Agra, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAfter a fairly wild night in Kathmandu where a local tuk tuk driver took me everywhere worth going on the pub scene it was time to head back to India to visit the Taj Mahal. The flight was late and it began to dawn on me that the massive queue in front of me at immigration was going to eat up more of the time I had to get to Delhi train station. By the time I collected my bags I had 20 minutes to make a 60 minute drive. not to worry though because the extra helpful chap at the train booking counter let me know there was…

Here's the latest on-the-road dispatch from our Weinermobile girls. You can read more about their hot dogging adventures by clicking hereby Selena Armendarez and Molly FergesWe’ll be frank: We’ve been giddy about our trip to Wamego, KS since it was scheduled (around the time of our first hurricane, back in July).With a quaint Main Street and picturesque windmill, the small town would be a pleasant stop for an afternoon of fudge samples and antique shopping…if you hadn’t been a Wizard of Oz fan since birth, like us.But Oz fans we are, and Wamego is Mecca.Each year, the town of about…

HCC: My sister, Sara, got married last month. Rather than celebrate her dwindling days as a single woman by hiring a cheesy stripper to perform (why pay for something when a woman can get it for free? Ha!), or going on a beer-fueled pub crawl, we opted to do a wine tour through upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region.Dozens of wineries dot the shores along Seneca, Cayuga, and Keuka Lakes. Plus, the climate is perfect for growing grapes that churn out crisp Reisling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.We loaded ten women into a limo that picked us up at my sister’s house in Syracuse for the tour…

ADP: Christmas came a little early to my cubicle this year. One of the candy companies that I work with in my job as a food and nutrition editor (I know, tough life) sent me a box of these pink and white striped canes. Normally, I can take or leave anything minty (except those powdery squares typically offered in a big glass jars at Chinese restaurants) so I distributed half the box amongst my co-workers.So uproarious wast the reaction to this little edible gift that I had to unwrap a cane and try it for myself.Holy sweet Santa! The mint factor was incredibly mild, almost creamy, and when I…

Here's the latest on-the-road dispatch from our Weinermobile girls. You can read more about their hot dogging adventures by clicking hereMolly and Selena: CBS News reported last week on a trend that we’re noticing all too often as we criss-cross the country: struggling local business. As often as possible, we hit up local restaurants. The food is usually tastier, the service more personalized, and we’re always happy to give our money to a community business instead of a corporate chain. But as the economy sinks ever lower, there just aren’t as many of those mom-and-pop joints. In…

ADP: Earlier this month, my boyfriend Jeff and I were invited to join a group of journalists on a five day whirlwind tour of three Italian cities—Venice, Florence and Rome. I've been trying to stay close to home lately (writing the book has been a study in discipline for me, as there's always something more distracting and immediate to attend to) but neither of us could pass up the chance to explore some of the world's most culturally relevant sites. Plus, my friend Courtney told me that in Italy, they have a rule that you must eat gelato eat least once a day to stay fit and healthy. So, we…